《No More Heroes [Superhero LitRPG]》 A Dark Glimpse Bear witness to the Empire¡¯s fall. As hundreds of super powered beings brutally clashed on the dark streets below, Vincent Villari watched with grim satisfactions at the consummation of years of careful planning. He let a small smile touch his lips as he considered his impending victory, even as the entire building shook from the titans¡¯ ruinous battle. Each shake brought a gasp from the gathered spectators on the observation platform of what had once been called the Empire State building. Vincent still found it hard to believe that so many people would risk their lives, disregarding warnings from every side of the conflict. He had to admit, however, that the battle was a once in a lifetime event¨Cunless he needed to engineer another one. Vincent and several dozen bystanders were gathered on a semi-circle platform that extended from the 86th floor of the restored skyscraper. While it had been devastated in the invasion, the New Global Government had rebuilt it along with countless other landmarks across the world. The NGG claimed it was important to preserve connections to the past¨Cthough they didn¡¯t hesitate to rebrand them. His mind wasn¡¯t on the building though, as he was waiting for the clouds to part and reveal the Watcher. The immense asteroid was certain to be visible tonight, despite the thick green fog created by the endless radiation storm. However, everytime a flash of power came from the combatants below, Vincent was instead confronted by his own reflection staring back at him in the glass surrounding the deck. His dark hair was mostly swept back, but some had fallen into his eyes during the night¡¯s many trials. His pale skin was almost ghostly after so long in the city, so long with the eerie green fog blocking out the sun. When the next flash came, he stared into his own mismatched eyes for a moment, wondering if he still recognized the young man looking back at him. At last the clouds parted, and there it was. Little more than an ominous light in the night¡¯s sky, it was still the cause of a century of suffering¨Cor at least the inciting incident he amended, as the city lit up in front of him. It was difficult to see all the way to the streets below, as the green fog was still thick. Instead, everywhere he directed his gaze seemed to show only two things: remnants of the invasion, and displays of loyalty to the NGG. It made for an odd contrast. The remaining invader architecture seemed to dominate the city, towering spires of black alien metal sprouting like weeds among countless human structures, with veins of glowing green energy running through them. The New Global Government on the other hand had tried to align themselves in open opposition. White flags with a single red star were everywhere. Most buildings flew them by mandate, with some entirely wrapped in oversized versions. They were often accompanied by NGG slogans, like ¡®We¡¯re keeping you safe!¡¯ and ¡®Report suspicious activity!¡¯ written in block letters visible for miles in every direction. But none were as common as the simplest, and most insidious among them: ¡®You can trust us.¡¯ Vincent¡¯s eyes brushed past the propaganda, having been surrounded by it since he was a child. Instead he lingered on the new construction. They still hadn¡¯t found a way to destroy the invader architecture, and in some places serpentine structures seemed to dive in and out of the ground, but the attempts to hybridize invader and human technology outstripped it all. K-Tower rose impossibly high into the sky, looking almost like a twisted black vine, straining desperately to touch the clouds. It shared the glowing green spider web pattern of Gamma¨Cthe invader energy source¨Cwith the alien remnants, but it also had windows, and the good grace to only be built in a single direction. Was the self-proclaimed King of this city watching the excitement? he wondered. Shouts and pointing drew Vincent¡¯s attention back toward the streets, and he shook his head in irritation. The Heroes were doing too well. The NGG provided them with limitless Gamma injections, while the Villains had only been drawn here by their own desperate need for the drug. Sure enough, Vincent¡¯s K-Device was signaling him a moment later, and he answered the call. ¡°Show me what¡¯s happening down there, Arthur,¡± he said softly. His screen lit up as the Guardian directed his own KD at the fighting. It was worse than Vincent had expected. The NGG Elites were there, black army uniforms almost lost in the green fog as they took cover behind ruined cars, though their rifle fire was little more than a distraction considering the heavy-hitters present on both sides. Boulder came into frame first, likely because the Villain was almost nine feet tall, and just as wide, with an unfortunately tight red suit drawing the eye even more. True to his name, he barreled into the mass of NGG forces, knocking them in every direction. The enormous man was hurled back a moment later, however, when Firestrike sent a gigantic bout of fire hurtling into him, briefly illuminating the foggy street. The Piston Twins countered by charging right into the gap created by the fire, their leather biker gear not necessary for protection as they were each nearly indestructible anyway, and they were on Firestrike in an instant. Her fire-themed suit proved no real defense as the two bruisers went to work on her, but moments later the Heroes¡¯ own frontlines advanced. A squad of a half-dozen massively muscled supers stormed the Villains lines. The Piston Twins were lost beneath a rainbow of different costumes, and Firestrike hobbled out a moment later. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The camera feed panned up, and Vincent shook his head as he watched the real pride of the New Global Government make themselves known. Starbeam floated forward, bathing the Villains below in burning light. He was flanked by Gigaforce, another flier, who sent shockwaves of force rippling out to prevent any counterattack. The Villains did what they could, but their powers were uniformly bland compared to the Government¡¯s Heroes. Most were strong, or durable, or both. Some could fly, and a few rare ones could produce some kind of energy attack, but they were outmatched when facing the NGG¨Cundisputed masters of raising the most deadly and versatile supers. Vincent watched for several minutes before Arthur¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°This same thing is happening to teams all across the city. The Heroes aren¡¯t holding anything back!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, we only need to buy a little more time,¡± Vincent responded, minimizing the feed and quickly keying in a different contact. Vincent had to force himself not to tap his foot as he waited, but finally the K-Device connected. ¡°Vince, are you kidding right now? This is not the time.¡± ¡°Warden, a large cluster of your Heroes are situated in streets directly below the NGG State Building. They should look up.¡± ¡°Look up? Vincent what the hell are you¨Coh please don¡¯t do this, man,¡± the voice cut out as he carefully stepped backward off the observation platform. He¡¯d been prepared for this, of course. The Villains were desperate but the Heroes were legion, and they were better trained as well as better supplied. The platform was a bold piece of engineering, and extended almost thirty feet off the side of the building, supported by massive metal beams arching outward from beneath. With a thought, Vincent activated his contingency, and those beams were suddenly as malleable as clay. At the same time, he leaned out to place his hand against the glass dome that covered the platform, sheltering its occupants. A tiny ripple of green spread from his touch, and the glass shattered into dust. The dozens of people who had been gawking only a moment earlier were suddenly looking around in horror and confusion, as there was no longer anything between them and an eighty-six floor drop. They had no time to move, however, as the platform abruptly bent beneath them, as if on a hinge. Then they were falling, and their screams filled the air, though they faded as the long drop took them. Vincent leaned on the remaining wall, watching impassively as the people flailed and spun, slowly disappearing into the green fog below. He was already dialing a new contact before the sounds of terror had faded. ¡°Vincent,¡± came an irritated female voice from his KD. ¡°The Gamma levels still aren¡¯t optimal, your little action figure brawl needs to escalate.¡± ¡°How close are we?¡± Vincent asked, eyes turning back to the Watcher. The invasion ends tonight, he thought, willing it to be true with all the conviction he possessed. ¡°Over seventy percent,¡± she answered, ¡°Is it time?¡± Vincent quickly swapped feeds on his KD, and watched as Arthur showed him a dozen Heroes desperately trying to catch a mass of shrieking, falling people. The Villains shamelessly used the opportunity to counter attack, and all at once the battle shifted, Gamma energy bursting in every direction as the two forces clashed. ¡°It¡¯s time. The largest group is fully engaged, but we need to keep the Villains in the fight at all secondary locations. Do it,¡± he said, and though the Tech didn¡¯t respond, she didn¡¯t need to. The bombs answered for her, as the orange light of fiery explosions began to appear all over the city, Gamma pipelines rupturing with precise timing. Vincent watched the city burn, while he did his best to remember patience. So many years, all for this. He could let a few minutes tick by. He looked back up at the Watcher. Tonight, he thought, tonight we prove the New Global Government¡¯s been lying for a century. Tonight we prove the Prophet¡¯s words, and redeem¨C ¡°It¡¯s working,¡± came the Tech¡¯s voice. ¡°The pipes are venting as planned, and secondary fights are breaking out all over the city. I can¡¯t believe how many Villains were drawn here.¡± ¡°Veridicus¡¯ broadcasts have been getting a lot more effective since Lucia started working with him. She adds a¡­charm he¡¯s been lacking,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°Where is your sister, by the way? I know her friends are supposed to be here, but I haven¡¯t gotten any reports.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re here, they¡¯ll be making sure no one knows it,¡± he answered, trying not to think about Lucia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them; focus on the device. Is it ready?¡± Vincent asked, watching the last explosion fade, leaving numerous fires in its place. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Vincent, it will never be ready. The Gamma levels are almost there, but I¡¯ve been over every circuit of this thing, and I promise you it doesn¡¯t do what it¡¯s supposed to do¨C¡± ¡°We can¡¯t know that. It¡¯s specifically designed to interact with invader technology. Who truly understands how that stuff operates?¡± Vincent said, not interested in having this conversation again, and certainly not now. ¡°I know! What do you think I¡¯ve been doing for the last year! I¡¯m telling you that it won¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Then prove it!¡± he said, fury finally slipping into his voice. ¡°Enough talk, enough debate, enough theory. Press the ¡®on¡¯ button and we¡¯ll find out together.¡± The call was silent for a long moment, but finally the Tech responded. ¡°Understood. Gamma levels at ninety-three percent and rising. It¡¯s almost time,¡± came the small voice in a supremely professional tone. ¡°Thank you,¡± he responded, his composure restored. He glanced at his KD, and saw that Danny was sending him a string of furious texts, but this wasn¡¯t the time. He looked back out over the city, his eyes falling on the unassuming building where they¡¯d set up the device, and watched the telltale glow of Gamma gathering around it. This was finally it. This was what they¡¯d worked for, what they¡¯d sacrificed for. All the close calls, all the compromises, all the lost and ruined lives, all for this moment. Finally they would succeed where the others had failed. Finally they¡¯d end the NGG¡¯s reign of terror and lies. Finally his life¡¯s purpose would be fulfilled. Vincent Villari looked up at the Watcher, barely more than a bright light in the sky. He was going to witness the empire¡¯s fall. Chapter 1: Power Farm Part 1 Don¡¯t believe their lies. Everything was going according to plan, until Vincent felt a rib crack as the booted foot of Robert Hauffman connected for the dozenth time. This was far from the first beating that Vincent had taken, and he knew exactly what areas to protect as he lay in the fetal position on the library¡¯s carpeted floor. But the other students didn¡¯t refer to Robert as ¡°Berserker Bob¡± for nothing, and there was only so much punishment a body could take. ¡°Do you want more?!¡± Robert screamed, his face red with fury and his hands shaking. ¡°Well? Say something else! Say something smart, Villari!¡± Vincent let out a sigh that turned into a cough, blood splattering on the carpet. That would stain. He looked up at Robert and considered the state of the oversized student, unfortunately recognizing that things needed to be taken a step further. What would Danny say? ¡°We¡¯re in a library, Robert. It¡¯s bad enough you¡¯re infecting this place with your stupidity, you should at least keep your voice down.¡± Definitely not up to Danny¡¯s standards, but apparently it was enough for his purposes. Robert roared inarticulately as he came down on top of Vincent, fists pounding relentlessly. ¡®Berserker Bob¡¯ lost all self control when he saw that violence wasn¡¯t solving a particular problem, which always led to him applying greater violence to that same problem. Vincent focused on covering his face as best he could while Robert solved the problem that was Vincent Villari. The other students were yelling now, Danny loudest of all. Some had cheered when the fight started, but all could see that it had gone too far, and the guards would be here soon. Just a little longer, Vincent thought, and he did his best to block out the pain. Unfortunately, Robert was pinning him to the ground, and anxiety was beginning to rise up inside of him. Vincent could rationalize almost anything, but not the feeling of being trapped. After a few more moments, the terror was louder in his mind than the pain, and he almost didn¡¯t notice when the punches abruptly ceased. He forced his eyes open to look up at Robert. Finally. He¡¯d regained his feet, and was now stumbling around the library, knocking over desks and colliding with bookshelves as he held his head, screaming in pain. The rest of the students had retreated in fear, some of them clearly recognizing what was happening. Danny was there suddenly, pulling Vincent away from the flailing Robert, who was now clearly mid-Manifestation. The doors opened then, and three powered guards raced in, showing zero hesitation as they tackled the crazed student. It wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Danny whispered in disbelief, running a hand through his short brown hair. ¡°He¡¯s still standing against three of the warden¡¯s strongarms.¡± ¡°Call him Dean, not warden,¡± Vincent admonished. ¡°It¡¯s not a surprise, really. Robert shoots twice as much Gamma as anyone should, and he only ever takes strength-related work details. He¡¯s beyond polarized, and the transformation gives a burst of ener¨C¡± Vincent cut off as one of the guards was thrown directly at them, Danny pulling him out of the way at the last moment. Vincent felt the air knocked from lungs as he fell back to the floor. Robert was now completely lost to the change, and his uniform had been torn to pieces by muscles bulging out of control. The seventeen year old had already been large for his age, and now he was nearly seven feet tall as his body grew to accommodate his erupting new power. A guard was clinging to each of his massive arms, but they were only failed Adepts, and not prepared for true inhuman strength. Vincent watched from his place on the floor, fascinated, and trying to memorize every moment with a mind still foggy from the beating. There were nearly a dozen students in the small library, and of the six study tables, three were turned over by the brawl, leaving a wide open area in the center of the room for Robert to throw the adult guards around like children. ¡°He¡¯s going to kill those guys,¡± Danny said, an edge of fear in his voice. Vincent felt a moment of panic as well, as Robert truly did seem to have reached a murderous level of rage. No one was supposed to get hurt, he thought.Then a new figure strode through the double doors, and Vincent felt relief wash over him. Dean Allister was a middle-aged man, balding and wearing a plain, tan suit. He was outwardly unremarkable in every way. When Robert saw the Dean approaching, he bellowed in inarticulate rage, and threw a punch that could shatter concrete. The unassuming man didn¡¯t even bother to avoid the blow, simply allowing the melon-sized fist crash directly into his unprotected face. Robert screamed in pain as the bones in his hand shattered, loudly enough to be heard across the room. Dean Allister, known as Waller when he¡¯d been a member of G-Force¨Cthe local hero team¨Cstared down at his student, collapsed on the floor and clutching his ruined hand. A moment later two more guards¨Cthese armed with tranq-rifles¨Crushed in. ¡°No more than three,¡± the Dean said, and several shots rang out a moment later. ¡°Was anyone else harmed?¡± the Dean called out to the other students, as the guards dragged the semi-conscious Robert out of the room. A dozen sets of eyes turned to Vincent as Danny helped him off the floor. ¡°No sir,¡± Vincent answered, his bloody face and rapidly swelling left eye making the lie obvious. Dean Allister watched him for a moment before nodding, his face betraying nothing. ¡°The Daily Loyalty Pledge begins in ten minutes,¡± the Dean called out. ¡°You should leave now to ensure you don¡¯t arrive late.¡± With that, he turned and left the room, and whispers broke out immediately. ¡°Come on,¡± Vincent said, hobbling forward. ¡°I¡¯m moving slowly and we need to cross to the other side of the facility.¡± Danny nodded, throwing one of his friend''s arms over his shoulder to help him walk. It was slightly awkward as Danny was taller, but Vincent knew he wouldn¡¯t make it on his own. He tried to ignore his injured rib as they left the library. Stepping out into the courtyard, they were struck by the eerie green light of the fading Rad Storm. Vincent immediately felt some mild relief in his many injuries, but Danny squinted with irritation; he never liked the storms. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, you know,¡± he said as they walked down the path between the many dull, gray concrete buildings. Vincent idly watched one of the many K-tech cameras tracking their slow progress, as he considered how to answer. ¡°You called for help, and it needed to be done,¡± he replied, keeping his voice low as several other students hurried past them, the white shirt and black pants of their school uniforms both appearing green in the storm. ¡°I didn¡¯t mind giving him my Gamma rations, now and then. You won¡¯t let me use them anyway,¡± Danny said, some irritation showing through. ¡°You know why: you¡¯ve got to stay balanced,¡± Vincent said, then lowered voice to a whisper. ¡°And we need that Gamma for other reasons.¡± Danny rolled his eyes. ¡°I still say you¡¯re crazy for listening to that conspiracy theory nutjob,¡± when Vincent stopped suddenly, his friend looked at him in surprise, then realized his mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vince, I know you don¡¯t like being called¨CI¡¯m just sorry, okay? Thank you for standing up to Berserker Bob for me.¡± Vincent resumed the slow trek to Pledge Hall, his mood darker. ¡°Even after what we saw, you still think Veridicus is just spreading ¡®conspiracies¡¯?¡± he asked, and Danny scoffed. ¡°Bob is the biggest, dumbest, Gamma-addict on the planet. Can you honestly tell me you¡¯re surprised he turned early? Or that he turned into a bigger, dumber super?¡± Vincent kept quiet, and Danny knew him well enough to understand the conversation was over. A few minutes later they hobbled into Pledge Hall, and joined the other nearly two hundred students, lining up in neatly ordered rows in front of the massive screen where they¡¯d view the pre-recorded Pledge. A couple of dozen guards lined the walls as well; there were always plenty when this many students gathered. Vincent found his customary spot in the middle of the plain gray room, the only color being the many NGG flags set up around the perimeter. He looked around for a moment, having not seen Lucia on his way in, but she normally stood at the opposite side of the Hall. A few students looked at his obvious injuries and whispered, the news clearly having beaten him here. ¡°Looks like Bob did a number on your smug face, Villari,¡± a voice called out. ¡°Yeah it was brutal,¡± Danny said in reply, ¡°A few more like that and he¡¯ll be nearly as ugly as you are, Eric. Not half as stupid though.¡± Eric Palmer, an older student with spikey blonde hair looked only slightly embarrassed by the jab, until he heard a feminine laugh from nearby, then he looked irate. ¡°Shut your face, Danny,¡± he said quickly, taking a threatening step forward. ¡°When I¡¯m the greatest Hero in the world, you¡¯re going to regret talking to me like that.¡± ¡°Wow, that sounds like a tragic backstory,¡± Danny replied seriously, and Steve took the bait. He always took the bait. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked. ¡°Well if you¡¯re the greatest Hero in the world, that means everyone who¡¯s not a complete idiot is long dead,¡± This prompted more laughter from the unknown girl, and Eric took another angry step before the lights suddenly darkened, and vaguely patriotic music began to play. The boy hurriedly returned to his spot, knowing the punishment for disrupting the Pledge was worse than any indignity he¡¯d suffered. Vincent turned his good eye to the screen, watching the video closely, as he did every day. At first the music just played over an image of the NGG flag waving for a minute or so, as if the filmmakers understood it would take a moment for a group of teenagers to settle, but then it really began. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The overly serious narrator spoke as familiar images played. ¡°In the late 1960s mankind discovered we weren¡¯t alone in the universe, when the Watcher arrived.¡± A number of shots of the Asteroid covered the screen, some from telescopes, others from satellites, and even a few from normal cameras on the ground, where the massive green rock was just barely visible in the night sky. ¡°Unfortunately, our visitors from another world didn¡¯t come in peace,¡± the narrator continued, ¡°and the resulting war scarred our planet forever.¡± There were a few shots from the original black and white broadcasts of the Great Hero in the arena, but it quickly moved on to images and even a few rough clips of the alien structures appearing in cities all over the globe. Vincent thought he understood why everyone liked to gloss over the arena; it was hard to spin the Great Hero¡¯s devastating loss as anything but a tragedy. Even if the invasion resulted in millions of deaths, the NGG could at least focus on the eventual victory. The narrator continued as the images of cities transitioned from their recently conquered state to their more modern appearance, in a trick of editing. ¡°Though our losses were many, ultimately our Great Hero was able to systematically wipe the invaders from our beautiful planet, and bring on a new era of peace.¡± There were a few snickers at that, as there were every day. It was something of a running challenge to see how much you could mock the Pledge without getting caught, but Vincent never participated. ¡°In the years that followed, our Great Hero used his incredible power to raise up the first generation of Adepts.¡± This was the part that Vincent always truly waited for, as the video transitioned to a series of shots of the first group of heroes. Legacy was in every photo, standing proudly next to the Great Hero, his red, white, and blue costume an obvious reference to his heralding from the United States, despite the New Global Government having already been established. Mender was there as well, though like the Great Hero himself, she never seemed interested in the photos. She stood as far back as she could, always looking off into the distance as if she had somewhere better to be¨Cand maybe she did; the doctor¡¯s coat she wore wasn¡¯t an affectation. Tecnico was there too, his all black suit covered in countless gadgets. Though if Mender seemed like she had somewhere else to be, Tecnico seemed to want people to know he¡¯d rather be anywhere else. His arms were usually crossed over his chest, and Vincent was always quietly amused at the single photo of him actually checking his watch. In his defense, K-tech was more responsible for the world¡¯s rapid recovery after the invasion than virtually anything else. Everything from farming infrastructure, to the Gamma harnesses embedded in every student¡¯s spine was K-tech, not to mention the Network itself. Last was the Great Hero. He stood out simply by being comparatively ordinary. He was tall, but not especially so, and he was clean shaven with neatly combed light hair. He never wore a costume, preferring a dark coat over civilian clothes, but he didn¡¯t need to; he was the man who single handedly saved the world. Despite the pictures depicting the most powerful humans the world had ever known, it wasn¡¯t for them that Vincent watched this part of the Pledge with rapt attention. Instead, he looked for every photo that wasn¡¯t quite centered properly. Every shot where one of the heroes seemed to be speaking to someone just out of frame. Every piece of evidence he could find where his mother had clearly been cut out. Soon the film moved on; having established its connection to the indisputable goodness of the Great Hero, it was time for the more overt propaganda. ¡°From the ashes of a ruined world, rose the New Global Government. United by our staggering losses, as well as a hope for a better tomorrow, the NGG became a shining light for our civilization.¡± Stock images of people all over the world ¡®getting along¡¯ began to play, showing every race and culture supposedly living in harmony. More laughter from the students at that. Finally it transitioned into the last part of the video, and images of young Adepts like them appeared, though these ones appeared overjoyed by their fate. ¡°But that new future cannot exist without you, the next generation of heroes, destined to keep our world safe from any threat.¡± Of course, the threats weren¡¯t invaders this time, and the next series of images and clips were of some of the most memorable villains over the last few decades. They even included some vague references to the Cult of the Mind. Though, if anyone actually knew where the group was, they¡¯d have been wiped out long ago. Psychics had no place in the NGG¡¯s ¡®perfect society¡¯. ¡°Remember your duty, loyal Adepts: Take your Gamma. Join the harvests. Listen to your instructors, and above all: report anyone showing signs of power Manifestation.¡± This was accompanied by some cartoon depictions of students lifting impossibly heavy objects, flying, and other common power sets. The last image was someone drawn with a cliched nefarious appearance, rubbing his temples while a lightning bolt connected his head to another student, who was falling down a flight of stairs. ¡°Remember, Adepts: the only reason to hide powers is to use them for villainous ends! Think of the Great Hero, and ask yourselves, what would he do?¡± The video came to its final image, that of the aforementioned Great Hero looking decidedly disinterested in having his photo taken. ¡°Now it¡¯s time, Adepts. Repeat after me as we recite the Hero¡¯s Pledge!¡± The room quickly gave over to the sounds of hundreds of bored students mumbling along to the Pledge, many for the thousandth time or more. Vincent, on the other hand, always repeated the words perfectly. He understood better than most the importance of maintaining appearances. ¡°We pledge our lives and loyalty, To the Great Hero, And to the New Global Government, Who carries on his Great Legacy. With open eyes and honest hearts, We do swear to follow, The brave example he has set forth. We put aside thoughts, Of personal glory and wealth, And dedicate ourselves wholly, To the many worthy causes of the NGG.¡± The Pledge finally reached its end, and the video transitioned to the NGG flag as the lights were raised back to full. Danny quickly fell in beside Vincent as he made his way outside, likely not wanting to find out if Eric¡¯s ego was still bruised. As usual, Danny started complaining and mocking the video. ¡°We¡¯re just so lucky that the NGG takes such great care of us. Sticking every kid with a hint of potential into Power Farms and ripping our lives away. Forcing us into these storms to scrape Gamma off the walls, it¡¯s almost too glamorous for words.¡± ¡°Gamma doesn¡¯t come from scraping surfaces, that¡¯s Beta,¡± Vincent corrected. ¡°You¡¯d know that if you¡¯d ever actually been on Harvest duty.¡± ¡°Hey, you never go on Harvests anymore either!¡± Danny retorted, not liking to discuss his fear of the storms. ¡°I stopped going because I was progressing too quickly from the exposure. I don¡¯t want to end up in the army, or carted off like Robert.¡± Vincent replied, and Danny¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°Where do you think they¡¯re taking him?¡± ¡°After he settles in the hole?¡± Vincent shrugged. ¡°To some facility that can handle a super with that much strength, and that little intelligence. His power set makes him a prime candidate for special forces, but he¡¯d have to be capable, and willing to follow orders for that.¡± ¡°Where are we going, by the way?¡± Danny asked. ¡°To the dorm. I need to change, then we have to get to the gym.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? You look like you were hit by a bus. A bus full of rocks,¡± Danny replied, then he put on his about-to-tell-a-joke face. ¡°At least your brown eye is the swollen one, I trust the green one more. Tell me, green eye, why the hell does Vincent want to punish himself with weights?¡± Vincent failed to suppress a sigh before answering. ¡°Balance, Danny. It¡¯s the only thing standing between us and being at the mercy of the NGG for the rest of our lives. Have you been studying, like I told you?¡± Danny¡¯s face seemed to be fighting between guilt and indignation. ¡°No, alright? There¡¯s just no way that reading a little bit is going to make any real difference,¡± he lowered his voice when two students looked at him. ¡°Look, I trust you, Vince, and I know that Gamma addicts are a real thing¨Chell, Berserker Bob proves that, so I¡¯ve listened to you about not taking my rations. But this balance shit that you¡¯re obsessed with is just more of Veridicus¡¯ ravings.¡± When Vincent didn¡¯t respond, Danny looked away, uncomfortable. ¡°Besides,¡± he said in a subdued voice, ¡°everyone knows that your intellect is barely affected by the Gamma.¡± Vincent let out a sigh, too tired and in too much pain to have this argument again. The two walked in silence for a few minutes until they¡¯d almost reached the dorm. By then Vincent had decided to try one more time. ¡°Look Danny, we¡¯re so close. Six months, a year at the most, and we¡¯ll both be written off as just another couple of failed Adepts that are never going to Manifest. Sure, they¡¯ll tag our Harnesses, and try to keep an eye on us, but we¡¯ll be free. No army. No Special Forces, no prisons masquerading as schools, just us in the real world.¡± ¡°No Hero Squad, either,¡± Danny muttered glumly, and Vincent couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t honestly think you¡¯d have a real chance at that do you? I¡¯ve been here for twelve years, Danny, and in all that time I¡¯ve only seen five students get chosen for the program,¡± his friend looked away, never handling this subject well, but Vincent couldn¡¯t stop himself. ¡°They were the five most patriotic, rule-obsessed, NGG-worshiping people I¡¯ve ever seen, and they were all exceptionally powerful.¡± Danny was quiet for a moment as they entered the dorm, clearly a bit upset, but then he surprised Vincent with a question of his own. ¡°What about you, then? Are you really just hoping to start a boring, normal life out there? Maybe I won¡¯t be on the Hero squad, but at least I want something.¡± Vincent thought back to the Pledge video, and all the places his mother had been edited out of history. ¡°Trust me, Danny, there¡¯s definitely something I want,¡± his friend looked at him curiously, but Vincent didn¡¯t elaborate. As they reached Vincent¡¯s room, he tried one more time to convince his friend. ¡°Please Danny, just one year, and then we¡¯ll be free. Maybe Veridicus is wrong, but why take the chance? Why not do everything we possibly can to avoid ending up like Robert, carted off full of tranquilizers, bound for who knows where?¡± Danny wouldn¡¯t look directly at Vincent, but at last he gave a single nod. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯ll be worth it. I promise. A year from now, the three of us will be making our own way, choosing our own fate. You¡¯ll see.¡± Vincent opened the door to his room, but stopped short when he saw Lucia sitting on his bed. She¡¯d been crying. His sister never cried. He walked in, Danny following and closing the door behind them. Before Vincent could ask what was wrong, Lucia brushed her long dark hair away from her face and spoke. ¡°It happened,¡± she said in monotone. ¡°Today in self-defense¡­I Manifested.¡± The words seemed to echo in the tiny room, and Vincent¡¯s mind began to race. Lucia spoke into the stunned silence. ¡°They said I have three months to settle and be processed, and then they¡¯re taking me away. I¡­I don¡¯t know where.¡± For a long moment no one seemed to know what to say. Vincent was lost in thought, and Danny was just standing there with his mouth hanging open. Finally Vincent looked his sister in the eyes, and spoke, ¡°Okay, we have three months to break out of this place.¡± Chapter 2: Reconnaissance They¡¯re watching us. The small dorm room was barely large enough for an uncomfortable bed and folding desk, and it felt smaller still with three people inside, but Vincent¡¯s words seemed to echo. Lucia¡¯s dark eyes searched his, then she turned away, seeming lost in thought. Danny was anything but quiet. ¡°Are you out of your¨C¡± he caught himself as Vincent turned to him. He started again, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being, well, dangerously optimistic? Like, ignoring all logic, kind of optimistic? No one breaks out of the farm, man.¡± Danny realized Lucia had turned to face him, her eyes still red, and with two Villaris staring at him, he deflated a little. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not happy we¡¯re going to be split up either, but this is what happens, alright? We¡¯re here so that our powers can Manifest, and we can serve the NGG. Will that probably mean our lives are kinda shitty? Yes. But it¡¯s just the way things are. Getting shot and becoming fugitives just so Lucia doesn¡¯t have to join the army is a bit of an overreaction.¡± Vincent waited for his friend to get the outburst out of his system, then turned to Lucia, part of him knowing the answer to the question before he asked. ¡°What power did you Manifest?¡± Lucia looked down, and tears gathered in her eyes as she spoke in a rush, ¡°We were all in the gym, as usual. The instructors had us pairing up for sparring sessions, and everything seemed normal.¡± She shook her head, and wiped her eyes before continuing. ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice at first, it just seemed a little louder than normal. But it kept getting worse. More voices, some yelling, some whispering, but it was like I was hearing them all at once. ¡°I couldn¡¯t concentrate on the fight, and my partner was Kristy Woods, she¡¯s been trying to beat me for months. When she realized I was distracted she took advantage, but I could barely feel it as she hit me. All I could think of was the voices getting louder and louder.¡± Vincent and Danny were both totally caught up in her story now, the truth becoming increasingly clear. ¡°I fell down, screaming. I had just enough clarity to stop myself from grabbing my head, but the pain was overwhelming. I managed to look up, tried to see what everyone was screaming about, but I think I already knew what was happening.¡± She fell silent for a moment, as if saying it out loud would somehow make it more real than the horrible experience she¡¯d already gone through. At last she met Vincent¡¯s eyes once more, and whispered the truth, ¡°I was hearing their thoughts,¡± she said in a broken voice. ¡°I¡¯m a Psychic.¡± Her voice rang out in the small room, and Vincent could almost hear the unspoken words Lucia refused to speak. Just like our mother. Danny seemed to wobble for a moment, then he collapsed in the nearby desk chair and put his head in his hands. He knew as well as any of them what it meant to be a psychic. Getting shot in a failed escape attempt might be better. Lucia seemed to have deflated after getting the story out, as if bottling up the experience had been all that was keeping her upright. Vincent needed information, but the room was thick with emotion, and he always seemed to handle these situations wrong. He felt increasingly uncomfortable each moment his questions went unasked, but he¡¯d learned the hard way that people didn¡¯t always want their problems solved right away. For some reason. At last Danny looked up, ¡°Okay, so how do we escape?¡± he asked, and Lucia¡¯s head shot up in surprise. Vincent felt like a weight was lifted off his chest. Finally. ¡°Lucia, they wouldn¡¯t have given you the full screening time if they suspected you were on the restricted list. Did they mention what powers they expected you to have?¡± Lucia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve worked hard to make sure my record is nothing but average across the board, with slightly higher marks in physique and combat. They didn¡¯t say anything, but the admin only glanced at my file before telling me I had three months. They probably think I¡¯m a Basic.¡± Vincent nodded in relief, Basics were the lowest possible tier of super, barely above failed Adepts, that should mean little added scrutiny for Lucia. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing KD¡¯s are private,¡± Danny said, referring to the smartphone-like K-Tech Devices paired to their harnesses, ¡°if they saw how far ahead your empathy is¨C¡± A sharp look from Lucia cut him off, and he looked over at Vincent awkwardly. Eyes narrowed in suspicion, Vincent turned to Lucia, ¡°What¡¯s he talking about? You told me you were staying balanced.¡± She looked back at him defiantly. ¡°I¡¯m doing everything I can to stay balanced, but it¡¯s not possible, okay? I work out every day, I study, I take on lonely, miserable work details, but it¡¯s not enough. I even try to just ignore people, but even if my empathy never went up another point, it would still be a lost cause.¡± She paused, then said in a quieter voice. ¡°It was a lost cause. Now it¡¯s too late.¡± Vincent took a moment to let it all sink in. He knew there was no point getting stuck on what they couldn¡¯t change, but it was difficult not to let anger cloud his mind. There was also some guilt as he considered the readouts from his own KD. ¡°Okay, we move on. The important information is that we should have nearly the full three months to make this work.¡± ¡°Unless¡­¡± Danny said, and he paused to look awkwardly at Lucia. ¡°Unless the Warden¡¯s pet Psychs are brought in.¡± Vincent nodded, considering. ¡°Good point, they haven¡¯t been here in nearly a year. I¡¯ve never heard an official policy, but it seems like they only get called for special situations. No one wants Psychics around if they can help it,¡± Why did Lucia seem angry? Danny had a hand over his face for some reason, but after a moment he lowered it and the conversation resumed. ¡°I think they came last time because of the Gamma that went missing, though they played it off like it was some kind of routine inspection,¡± Vincent nodded, remembering the uncomfortable visit. ¡°We¡¯ll have to hope that it wasn¡¯t routine then, and that nothing else happens worthy of calling them in,¡± Lucia had just been staring between the other two for some time, but finally she cut in. ¡°Are you two really being serious? This is a Power Farm, you can¡¯t escape. There are guards and cameras everywhere. There¡¯s towers with snipers in them, and only one gate. The whole compound is surrounded by a fifty foot wall that leans inward so you can¡¯t climb it. These places have been built specifically so people with powers can never get out!¡± Vincent smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve put a lot of thought into this,¡± he said, and her face colored. ¡°But you didn¡¯t mention that our harnesses have trackers, and electrical charges designed to incapacitate us if we leave the grounds without clearance. Not to mention we¡¯re surrounded by hundreds of miles of wilderness, and anyone in the state is going to be suspicious of three teenagers traveling alone.¡± ¡°Right,¡± she said, letting out a sigh. ¡°I appreciate the thought, but we all know this is hopeless. Let¡¯s just try to make the most of these last months together. Who knows, I¡¯ve heard the army trains counter-Psychics, maybe I can try to be one of those, and we¡¯ll see each other again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Vincent said dismissively. ¡°Just because something¡¯s hard doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be done. We just need to put the work in. I already have some ideas, but frankly I¡¯ve been putting more thought into preventing Manifestation; we should take some time and gather information.¡± Lucia stared at him incredulously, ¡°Did you forget the parts about snipers and electrodes in our spines?¡± ¡°Of course not, we just talked about them,¡± Vincent said with confusion, and Danny just shook his head, standing up. ¡°I have a couple of classes I can¡¯t miss, not if I¡¯m going to stay balanced,¡± he said while smirking at Vincent. ¡°If I learn anything in History or Math about prison breaks, I¡¯ll let you know. ¡°Thank you,¡± Vincent replied, and Danny chuckled as he left the room. Vincent turned back to Lucia, letting some of his frustration show. ¡°How high is your empathy?¡± She shrugged, ¡°No point hiding it now, I suppose. It was at fourteen for the last year and a half. It¡­it moved up to fifteen last month,¡± Vincent nodded, that information could be important. He wished he knew what Robert¡¯s strength had been before he Manifested. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°What about the rest? It might be a ratio instead of a threshold,¡± he explained. ¡°All between seven and nine, with intellect a bit higher. I did the best I could,¡± she finished quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you did, but you¡¯re right. It likely wouldn¡¯t have been possible to make up such a deficit,¡± Unfortunately he knew that from experience. ¡°All we can hope is that balance buys time, you¡¯re older than Danny and I, and you likely would have been dismissed as a Failed Adept any day now.¡± Lucia gave him a flat look. ¡°I¡¯m very aware of that, little brother,¡± Vincent nodded, lost in thought. ¡°What about Robert, even with the day I¡¯ve had, I couldn¡¯t miss hearing about a Manifestation that violent,¡± she gestured at his injuries. ¡°I take it you were involved?¡± ¡°As planned, and it may have confirmed our suspicions. Robert always had a volatile temper, and when he was pushed hard enough it finally happened. I think it was the combination of mental, and physical stress, either one alone didn¡¯t seem to be enough.¡± He thought of something then, and looked at Lucia with suspicion. ¡°You were fighting Kristy Woods, how do you feel about her exactly?¡± Lucia looked embarrassed, ¡°I¡­she¡¯s not pleasant. She hates that she can¡¯t beat me in self-defense, and she and her friends try their best to make my life miserable. I may have been¡­particularly excited to fight her today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Vincent replied, ¡°It¡¯s another data point to work with. Danny and I will have to be extra careful to keep our calm for the next few months.¡± Lucia rolled her eyes. ¡°Right, do your best, Vincent. Try to control that famously hot head of yours.¡± *** Lucia wanted to be alone after that, and Vincent still needed to exercise before his next class. It was already mid-afternoon when he stepped back outside, and he didn¡¯t have much time before he needed to get to Power Theory, but after hearing about his sister, his own balance was even more important. He took out his K-Tech Device, comparing its readings to Lucia¡¯s. Physicality: Mind: He sighed loudly enough that another student on the path gave him an odd look. At least the beating he¡¯d taken had improved his endurance. He knew he was in no position to judge either Danny or Lucia for failing to keep the balance he valued so highly. No matter how hard you worked, certain aspects of your physiology were just naturally superior. Vincent wasn¡¯t particularly tall, and at this point it looked like he¡¯d be lucky to see five foot ten, he was also slim, though his near-constant exercise meant he was relatively strong for his size. Still, the idea of doubling his current physical limitations was laughable. And then there was empathy¡­ Vincent didn¡¯t understand why his evaluation was so low. He understood why people did what they did, and he understood how to convince them to do something else. He¡¯d read books, and even just listened to people interacting with one another, but his evaluation wouldn¡¯t change. Lucia said it was about understanding emotions, but that was like claiming you needed to understand the chemical reason why someone was hungry in order to know they needed food. Whatever the reason, he had no hope of changing that number in any significant way. He just had to hope he could last another three months. The gym wasn¡¯t too busy when he arrived, and he was able to use some machines that allowed him to get a reasonable workout without straining his injuries too badly. He spent the time thinking, and running his mind back over a thousand details of the compound that had been simple facts yesterday, but possible threats today. As he left the gym, he stopped at a sign-up tablet embedded in the wall, and looked at the available work details. The list went on, but became increasingly specific to requests being made from different instructors. Vincent made note of each of them, but couldn¡¯t think of how they¡¯d be relevant to their current problems, and he needed to get to Power Theory as quickly as possible. He was nearly late, and he considered it one of his most important classes¨Cregardless of the fact that every lecture was either a case study of an already well known hero or villain, or pure nonsense meant to perpetuate ignorance. He raced across campus as fast as his exhausted and injured body could manage, and just barely managed to get the seat behind Emi Sato. Another male student gave him a dark look as he was forced to find another seat. Emi drew a lot of attention for her appearance, and Vincent understood why. He wasn¡¯t blind to the fact that her hair was particularly shiny, and the symmetry of her face was undeniable. He knew that his classmates thought he was obsessed with her, as they had two classes together, this one and Hero Support Tactics, and he always tried to sit behind her. The truth wasn¡¯t quite so simple, however. As Instructor Smythe began her lecture¨Ctoday on Legacy, for what felt like the hundredth time, Emi did what she always did, and pulled out her KD. A small stack of books was carefully positioned to block anyone from seeing what she did¨Cunless they were sitting exactly where Vincent sat every day. At this point he was certain she knew that he watched over her shoulder, and once or twice she seemed to even move to give him an unobstructed view, but they¡¯d never spoken of it. Likely she knew as well as he did that it was far too dangerous to draw attention to, but this was when Veridicus made his broadcasts, and they were always wiped from the Network after. You could only see the mysterious man live. Instructor Smythe began her lecture, and Vincent listened absently as he waited for the Emi to access the real class on her device. ¡°Good afternoon, students. Today we¡¯ll be studying the greatest hero since the original, mighty Legacy!¡± Her enthusiasm was admirable, considering she¡¯d given the same lecture at least three times in the last two months. ¡°Legacy was not only trained by the Great Hero himself, but he is also the only known super to boast a similar power set! Legacy is capable of creating solid objects out of Roid-Energy, using them as shields to protect the weak. It¡¯s a perfect power set for a hero!¡± Thankfully Emi¡¯s KD found the broadcast at that point, and Vincent did his best to watch while still appearing to pay attention to the lecture. The setting was the same as always, with a simple desk in front of a wall covered in graffiti of cliched phrases about ¡®resistance¡¯ and ¡®fighting the power¡¯. A moment later Veridicus himself appeared, his typical outfit covering every inch of exposed skin with black gloves, a black overcoat, and a mask with a large red X painted across it. Emi had the broadcast muted, of course, but subtitles were automatically generated. Still, it was somewhat comical to see the man make so many theatrical gestures without appearing to make any sound. ¡°Greetings, fellow seekers of truth, and deniers of the falsehoods of the hated New Global Government! I only have a small morsel of secrets for you today, as I suspect the NGG¡¯s secret police may be tracing my broadcasts. As always we begin with the Pledge of Anarchy! ¡°Don¡¯t believe their lies! They¡¯re always watching us! The NGG is not what they pretend to be! They deny us true power! They deny us true freedom! We will rebel! We will be balanced! We will not partake of the forbidden Gamma! We know they are among us!¡± ¡°Excellent, Truthseekers. Now for the morsels I promised. New storms have appeared in Colorado, Washington, and Texas! None of these are accounted for by the NGG predictions. At least those they share with the people! ¡°In Vancouver, Nightshade was spotted going toe to toe with the local hero squad. The NGG claims she was after a supply of Gamma, but a Power Farm in that area was also mysteriously broken into, freeing dozens of trapped Adept children! Who are the real villains, I ask you? ¡°Our last grain of truth for you, seekers! The NGG has been making claims of ¡®helping¡¯ the poor, desperate Beta addicts around the globe. Official reports have shown a steady decrease in their numbers here in North America. However! Leaked intelligence shows that there has been a near-equal rise in Beta addicts in New Technopolis, what was once called New York City, and is the current headquarters of K-Tech, and its founder Tecnico. ¡°What does this mean, Truthseekers? Why would the NGG ship all the Beta addicts to the most dangerous city in North America? Does it have anything to do with the experimental Gamma plant that K-Tech has recently brought on line there? Or is it something even more sinister? ¡°Rumors abound that there are secret NGG facilities there, as well as some of the most dangerous supers ever recorded! And let us not forget, it was little more than a decade ago that the Cult of the Mind had its famous confrontation with Legacy in that very same city! Something for us all to consider, wouldn¡¯t you say? ¡°Farewell, Truthseekers, until the truth brings us together once more!¡± Vincent leaned back, considering everything he¡¯d heard. He was forced to agree with Danny that the man didn¡¯t inspire confidence. His theatricality and flare seemed to be taking away from the message, but Vincent was also aware the man was good at what he did; in only a few short years he¡¯d amassed tens of millions of followers. People all around the world were very ready to believe that the New Global Government wasn¡¯t to be trusted. Regardless, the nature of Veridicus was for another day. The man had already given Vincent exactly what he needed. Chapter 3: The Plan They¡¯re waiting. Vincent was on his way back to the dorm, trying to align in his mind everything that would need to go right for the most fundamental elements of his plan to work. He¡¯d already sent messages to Danny and Lucia to meet him there before the evening meal¨Cthe KDs could send messages inside the compound, but access to the outside world was restricted. He thought he knew how Emi had managed to have her device altered, but he had never approached her about it. The unspoken arrangement they seemed to have was too beneficial to risk at this point. Regardless, he had someone else to ask that was relatively reliable, if expensive. As he approached the dorm, something struck him that his mind had been too busy to consider earlier. Lucia was a Psychic: her powers would be stabilizing and unreliable for a few months, but she could hear thoughts. He trusted his sister a great deal, but there were certain things they disagreed on, and others that it simply wasn¡¯t safe for her to know. After all, if something went wrong and they didn¡¯t escape, her mind would be an open book when she was taken for processing. However much they may disparage Psychics publicly, the government still understood that they were highly useful, and could only be trained by other Psychics. If Lucia ever ended up in an NGG facility, she would be surrounded by mind-readers every day for years, and tearing her psyche apart would be standard practice¨Call her secrets would be laid bare. Vincent had prepared for this eventuality, but primarily for fear of the occasional visits from the NGG mind readers. However, he needed to accept that it was time to enact Operation Mist. The concept was simple enough, though he¡¯d needed to practice the required mental control on and off for several years to keep himself from slipping. It was about compartmentalizing a collection of dangerous thoughts under an innocuous umbrella. That way instead of walking around thinking loudly of their escape plan, he¡¯d be thinking of¡­Operation Daylight. It helped if the name was tangentially associated with the nature of the information he was hiding. When digging an escape tunnel, one was digging until they reached daylight. Satisfied, Vincent continued his way to the dorm, considering that his multiple ongoing ¡®operations¡¯ would have to be reconsidered given what they were attempting. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he entered the dorm, knowing that what they were about to discuss would require his full concentration. Opening the door to his small room, he saw that Danny and Lucia had already arrived, and they stopped talking when he entered. Vincent looked at them curiously as he shut the door behind him, and Danny just threw his hands up in frustration, then gestured to Lucia. She glared at him, then spoke up. ¡°I was just telling Danny that I¡¯ve had time to think about this,¡± she paused, appearing to collect herself. ¡°I appreciate what you¡¯re both willing to do, but I can¡¯t let you risk your lives for me,¡± Danny looked like he¡¯d had this conversation already, and with little success. ¡°Lucia,¡± Vincent said, trying to find the words, ¡°you need help.¡± His sister immediately shared a look with Danny that Vincent didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whenever you say that, man, things get¡­intense?¡± Danny explained, and Lucia nodded vigorously. Vincent just shrugged: they were wasting time. ¡°This situation is already intense. Lucia, there¡¯s simply no version of this where I don¡¯t help you. The only question is whether you¡¯ll let me, or make it harder on all of us. Danny¡¯s going to help too,¡± Vincent said with absolute confidence, and his friend nodded after a moment. ¡°Look, every day counts. I have the outline of what we need to do, but I also know the plan will be stronger if both of you work on it with me. Lucia, you understand people in a way I never will. Danny, you look at situations in a way I never can. So should we waste more time talking about danger when we all know that safety doesn¡¯t exist for any Adept?¡± They both seemed to consider those challenging words, and at last Lucia spoke. ¡°Okay, I suppose I knew there was no convincing you, but you both deserved an out. I¡¯ll agree that every version of our future is dangerous, but that¡¯s not the same as tempting fate the way we¡¯re planning to.¡± Danny nodded but seemed impatient. ¡°Vincent¡¯s right¨Cabout most things, because he¡¯s an insufferable know-it-all, but he¡¯s particularly right about this. We¡¯re going to help you, and we¡¯re going to hear his wild plan before dinner.¡± Lucia raised an eyebrow at that, and Danny smiled. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet that part of it involves us not drawing attention to ourselves by skipping mandatory activities,¡± he finished while giving Vincent a let¡¯s get this moving gesture. When Lucia put up her hands in acceptance, Vincent smiled. ¡°Excellent, then let¡¯s get to work,¡± he moved to his wall, which was covered in a surface that could be drawn on and erased easily. Students were encouraged to personalize their rooms with their own art, as keepsakes from their old lives weren¡¯t allowed. Of course, Vincent mainly used it for notes. ¡°First of all, you were both right when you called out that escaping the Farm is a lost cause. Maybe with endless time and the right resources, but certainly not under our current circumstances,¡± he grabbed a marker and rapidly summarized the challenges of breaking out of the farm on the wall. He turned and saw the other two looking at him with irritation and confusion, ¡°So¡­you have more than this, right Vince?¡± Danny asked, prompting a sigh from Vincent. ¡°I¡¯m trying to show the whole thought process so you can be involved, but fine, let¡¯s speed up,¡± he turned back to the wall as he spoke. ¡°Obviously, because we can¡¯t escape from here, we need to escape from somewhere else,¡± he wrote ¡®Harvester Team¡¯ on the wall, then began crossing out the challenges that would remove. ¡°No more walls, no more snipers, cameras, wilderness, or impenetrable gate,¡± he turned back, ready to continue but saw that his audience was even less receptive than before. ¡°What now?¡± It was Danny who answered with characteristic energy. ¡°Are you serious? You think trying to escape from harvester duty is easier than the Farm? It just means trading a dozen ways of getting caught for a guaranteed death sentence!¡± Lucia was nodding, and even Vincent could tell that she was losing hope. ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to think about using harvesting as a way to escape, Vince. They give the guards shoot to kill orders, on top of a button to ignite the charges in our harnesses. And not the nice ones, like if we somehow get out of the Farm. These are the exploding ones, man! There¡¯s more than one reason I never take that duty.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Vincent said, turning and adding the new challenges that Danny had provided. ¡°We¡¯ll also need to ensure we¡¯re all on the same detail, that it takes place at the right time, and that we have a safe place to go once we¡¯re away from the guards. Did I miss anything?¡± he asked, and after a pause, Lucia chimed in. ¡°If we¡¯re even considering this route, we need to be prepared for Beta addicts as well. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re half as bad as the NGG broadcasts want us to believe, but they¡¯re still Adepts that will want what we have. Plus, even the ones without powers will likely have super-human strength.¡± Vincent nodded, and added ¡®Beta addicts¡¯ to the list of challenges, then stepped back, examining the updated list. Harvest Duty Escape:
  1. Harvest Team: leave together, and at the right time.
  2. Armed guards: shoot to kill, expect trouble.
  3. Harnesses: explode and track locations.
  4. Getaway plan: escape, hide, and survive long term.
  5. Unknowns: Beta addicts
¡°There,¡± Vincent said with satisfaction. ¡°When you see it all written down it looks¨C¡± ¡°Worse. So much worse,¡± Danny said while running a hand over his face. ¡°Don¡¯t forget we have months to get this right, and Veridicus made a broadcast today that I believe will present a perfect opportunity,¡± the other two groaned in near perfect synchronization at the mention of the so-called conspiracy theorist. ¡°What did that clown say that could possibly help us?¡± Lucia asked with obvious reluctance. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°New Technopolis,¡± Vincent replied at once, wanting to move past the information¡¯s origin as quickly as possible. ¡°K-Tech¡¯s Gamma plant is active now. I don¡¯t have many details, but it¡¯s confirmed that there¡¯s more Rad Storms there than ever before.¡± They both appeared to be lost in thought at that. The city once called New York had a difficult history, and a worse reputation. For Lucia and Vincent that was especially true. Danny spoke up after a moment, ¡°I guess in Vermont, we are the closest Power Farm. If you¡¯re right about the storms there¡¯ll be tons of harvester teams.¡± ¡°And Lucia and I know a place there we can stay,¡± Vincent said with confidence, but his eyes were on his sister, wondering if she¡¯d object. She didn¡¯t have a chance before Danny spoke again. ¡°Great, that kind of solves one problem, only fifty to go.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as bad you¡¯re imagining,¡± Vincent replied, pointing at the wall. ¡°The harnesses are a genuine concern. It¡¯s too dangerous to risk waiting for the day; we¡¯ll need to be sure the explosives and trackers are taken care of ahead of time. I have some ideas, but honestly this one requires more investigation.¡± He pointed at the line that read ¡®guards¡¯, ¡°The only other quantifiable threat is the guards themselves, and I already have two solutions in mind. Let me look into them before you convince yourselves this isn¡¯t possible.¡± He turned back to the other two, still trying his best to project the confidence of a leader. ¡°That still leaves the Beta addicts, and getting us on the harvester team. Can the two of you look into those challenges over the next few days?¡± Lucia and Danny shared a look. ¡°You¡¯re being remarkably dismissive of some enormous problems,¡± Lucia said dryly. ¡°Yeah, you really think Lucia and I are just gonna bumble into a solution for a bunch of ravenous, super-powered, rabid drug addicts?¡± Danny added. ¡°Plus you literally mixed it in with a scheduling issue¡­¡± Lucia said while rolling her eyes. ¡°Right! That¡¯s like asking if we could figure out how to solve world hunger, and do the laundry in the same sentence.¡± Danny was the bane of efficient meetings, Vincent thought, but he considered their words. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s entirely accurate,¡± he replied after some thought. ¡°I was exaggerating for effect, you robot!¡± Danny said, looking to Lucia for sympathy. ¡°No, I understand. You do that¡­a lot. I meant you¡¯re underestimating the difficulty of getting us all on the harvester team.¡± Vincent gestured at Lucia, ¡°She¡¯s a registered Super now, do you really think they¡¯re going to let her onto the only work detail that leaves the compound? A detail she¡¯s never shown interest in until the moment her powers Manifest?¡± Danny¡¯s mouth fell open in realization. ¡°Well shit,¡± he said at last. Lucia just looked crestfallen. She wasn¡¯t usually this quiet, Vincent considered. She liked questions¨Cshe liked knowing things. He grew slightly uncomfortable. Was she reading them right now? Vincent¡¯s eyes widened slightly when Lucia glanced in his direction at that exact moment. Coincidence? He realized in that moment he would never know for sure, and all at once he understood how the nature of their relationship had changed. This is how it would always be¡­this was how it was with all Psychics. You just never knew. Vincent needed to control his errant thoughts. Operation Mist, Operation Mist, Operation Mist, he repeated the mantra internally, trying to master himself. Danny filled the awkward silence, still lost down the rabbit hole of his own anxiety. ¡°So really, it¡¯s like you asked us to solve world hunger, and world peace?¡± ¡°The NGG already solved world peace,¡± Lucia said with a smirk. ¡°Pacification through tyranny isn¡¯t peace,¡± Vincent said, some anger spilling into his words. Lucia gave him that pitying look she reserved for these moments. She knew where his feelings came from and never hid her disapproval; she didn¡¯t care for the NGG either, but their reasons were not the same. ¡°Enough of this, we¡¯re going to be late for evening meal,¡± he pointed back to the list. ¡°Beta addicts might be a problem. Getting on the work detail is definitely a problem, and we have numerous other questions we can¡¯t answer. Unless¡­¡± Vincent looked at Danny. Pointedly. And for longer than he should have needed to. Finally his friend caught on. ¡°What!? No! You know how much I hate harvest duty!¡± ¡°It makes sense, Danny,¡± Lucia said. ¡°I can¡¯t join the harvester team, and Vincent has already volunteered for two impossible problems. You can do this. We need you.¡± Vincent looked at the other two members of his ¡®crew¡¯, doubting. Lucia barely bothered with a logical argument, and Danny was wavering even though there wasn¡¯t really another option. ¡°You¡¯re doing it, Danny. Sign up tomorrow, get them used to seeing you, and watch everything. We need to know all there is to know about their routes, their security, and whether Beta addicts are really something we need to worry about.¡± Danny still hesitated, but after looking back and forth between the two Villaris, one sympathetic, one not, he finally agreed. ¡°Excellent, thank you,¡± Vincent said, turning back to the list. ¡°So, Danny will take care of the harvester team, and I¡¯ll look after the guards and the harnesses.¡± he crossed out each one as he spoke. ¡°We still need more information to formulate the specifics of our escape on the day, but this is good progress.¡± Finally he turned to Lucia. ¡°Will you be able to handle your part?¡± She looked confused, and glanced up at the board. ¡°You didn¡¯t give me anything to do,¡± she said with irritation. ¡°Did you stop trusting me already?¡± Vincent¡¯s mind went wild at that question. Mist, mist, mist. ¡°I thought your part was obvious. You need to conceal your real class, not raise suspicion, and figure out your abilities. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Lucia looked at him with undisguised shock. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± she said, her own anger rising. Not trusting me would be better. Not only are all powers unstable after Manifesting, but I don¡¯t want to be a Psychic! You know that!¡± Vincent waited patiently, expecting the outburst. ¡°You are a Psychic. We¡¯re past wants here: this is life or death. You know better than most what Psychics are capable of. Do you really think we can afford to ignore that advantage given what we¡¯re attempting here? Are you comfortable with Danny dying because you refused to use your abilities?¡± ¡°Hey, why would it be me dying?¡± Danny asked, but the brother and sister ignored him, staring at one another for a long moment. Lucia looked away first. ¡°It probably doesn¡¯t even matter,¡± she said dejectedly. ¡°There¡¯s a reason that Psychics need to be taught¡­¡± She looked back and saw that Vincent hadn¡¯t stopped staring. ¡°Fine! Yes, I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll try, okay?¡± Vincent kept staring, and she let out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll try. I promise,¡± Vincent nodded at last, then turned and erased the board. ¡°Okay, this is a good start. Let¡¯s make sure to meet regularly. Don¡¯t talk about this anywhere someone might overhear. And give me your K-devices, I think I know how to get them scrubbed, and we should do that as quickly as possible.¡± They both reluctantly handed over their KDs, understanding the complex devices were a security risk. ¡°Can we get to dinner now?¡± Danny asked. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be terrified, then I¡¯d like to be terrified and filled with mac and cheese,¡± He was already moving toward the door, and the others followed him. *** They ate in awkward silence, hundreds of loud students around the cafeteria only making their quiet table seem all the stranger. Of course, they¡¯d agreed not to talk about Operation Daylight in the open, and any other topic seemed impossibly bland by comparison. Vincent looked around the large room, thick concrete walls like every other part of the compound, patriotic decor still the only color other than the food. Frankly the food was practically monochrome as well, but he¡¯d long since gotten used to it. As he ate, his eyes landed on a few familiar faces. Eric was at a nearby table, occasionally sending a glare in their direction, but Vincent¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t linger on him. He saw Elena Carlson, a friend of Lucia¡¯s who often ate with them, but who¡¯d taken one look at their dour faces and moved on. She was sitting with Kristy Woods now, the girl that Lucia had been sparring with when she Manifest. Vincent didn¡¯t know Kristy well, but he spent a moment considering her, wondering if she might make life harder for his sister. He was just starting to examine the other students, looking for potential assets and hindrances, when a disturbance drew his attention. The Dean was entering, which was very unusual, and quiet was settling over the cafeteria in response. Dean Allister, flanked by two guards, moved to the opposite side of the room, where he was clearly visible from every table in front of one of the few large windows. He didn¡¯t ask for attention, merely commanded it with his austere presence. It was only a moment before it was clear that every eye in the room was on him. ¡°Greetings, students. I¡¯ve joined you this evening because I have a special announcement.¡± Vincent could almost feel the students leaning in¨Cvery little happened on the Power Farm that could be considered special which didn¡¯t end in tragedy. ¡°As you know, we¡¯re occasionally granted the honor of hosting guests. Sometimes this is for lectures, other times it¡¯s for security reasons, however¡­¡± he paused for effect, seemingly enjoying the suspense. ¡°...this time, we¡¯ll be granted an exceptionally rare power demonstration.¡± The cafeteria erupted at this, and the Dean allowed it, even letting one corner of his lips turn up in what was almost a smile. Power demonstrations always excited the students, as many still believed they were a chance to meet real heroes, and the displays themselves were certainly entertaining. Vincent waited patiently, however, curious as to what made this particular event ¡®rare¡¯. The Dean raised a single hand after less than a minute, and silence returned almost instantly. ¡°I will be expecting your best behavior. You must represent our institution with grace and pride, for tomorrow, we host Legacy himself.¡± The roar of the students was deafening, and Danny may have been the loudest of them all. Legacy, the most beloved, active Super in the world, heir to the Great Hero himself, and unquestionably one of the most powerful beings on the planet, was coming here. Chapter 4: Legacy We''re nothing but slaves. Danny was at risk of losing consciousness from screaming so long, and Legacy hadn¡¯t even arrived yet. Vincent watched him with disapproval, somehow still surprised by his friend¡¯s willingness to accept the NGG¡¯s carefully tailored versions of the so-called heroes. He didn¡¯t blame Danny, not really. He¡¯d felt the lure of the hero teams himself. They were held up like gods by most people, and they lived with powers that even most Adepts could only dream of. Add to that the billions spent on propaganda, and it was hard to resist the allure¡­he had to admit, the hero squad was a lot more appealing than dreaming of mandatory service in the army. Finally Danny seemed to register Vincent¡¯s lack of reaction. ¡°Oh come on, man! Even you have to be pumped for this, it¡¯s Legacy! He¡¯s one of the greats!¡± ¡°He¡¯s exactly like the others,¡± Vincent said coldly. ¡°Maybe worse. He does anything the NGG tells him, no matter who it hurts.¡± Vincent felt Lucia¡¯s hand on his arm, and looked over to see sympathy in her expression. He had to concentrate on breathing to keep his calm. Danny seemed confused by the exchange, but wisely stopped defending the so-called hero. ¡°Okay, if you say so Vince,¡± he said finally, then left the table. Vincent watched him subtly join a few other friends who shared his excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it against him, Vincent. You know he¡¯s worshiped Legacy since he was a kid. He had Team Infinity posters on his walls. He¡­¡± she trailed off. It seemed the memories still had power over her as well. ¡°He doesn¡¯t understand what they¡¯re capable of,¡± she said at last. ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be over a hundred Farms in the former US alone, what do you think the odds are that he¡¯s coming here by chance?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°He could be taking some kind of recruitment tour, it¡¯s not unheard of. There hasn¡¯t been a lot of villain activity lately according to the news they actually let us watch in here,¡± Lucia said, considering. ¡°Nothing even borderline worthy of attention at his level,¡± Vincent agreed. ¡°Any villain still willing to risk going against the NGG has to be laying low by this point. The more flamboyant, costumed ones have all given up, been locked up, or killed at this point.¡± Vincent looked at the other students still celebrating, and shook his head sadly. ¡°It¡¯s bad out there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad in here,¡± Lucia said with conviction. ¡°Look at all of them, they¡¯re just scared kids. They have no idea what they¡¯re being brainwashed into,¡± she turned and stared pointedly at Vincent. ¡°They could really use someone to hel¨C¡± ¡°We have our mission,¡± Vincent interrupted loudly, glaring at his sister. ¡°You have a mission, and it¡¯s not even your own. If¡­if your plan works, we can really make a difference for the people the NGG is exploiting.¡± Vincent stood up suddenly. ¡°Fine, Lucia, I have my mission. Go ahead and forget about mom, even though you¡¯re turning into her,¡± even Vincent could tell he¡¯d gone too far from the look on her face, and he quickly turned and made his way out of the cafeteria. The sun was setting when he got outside, and the autumn air was starting to get cool. Vincent took a minute to just breathe, needing to calm himself. Only Lucia could truly rile him like that, bring him so close to losing control. Vincent tried to put it out of his mind, he needed to move on with his task for the night. He started heading toward the workshed in the back of the facility, taking one of the less-traveled paths that went around most of the major buildings. As he walked, he stared up at the sky, watching stars slowly appear. Even in the peaceful setting, he couldn¡¯t completely get his sister¡¯s words out of his mind. She only thought she understood his mission¨Cand maybe she truly did understand part of it¨Cbut there was more. More that he was certain she didn¡¯t know. That their mother hadn¡¯t wanted her to know. It¡¯s not her path, she¡¯d said that night. But she¡¯d never said why¡­why he had to do this alone. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of other students nearby. He saw them between two buildings, it was Gary Sawatzki, and predictably he was bullying two of the younger students. Gary was always number two behind Robert in terms of being a strength obsessed Gamma junky, but to Robert¡¯s credit, he never cared about anything other than those two things. Gary took obvious pleasure in hurting people. Vincent thought again about what Lucia had said, but ultimately he still chose to ignore what was going on. He had somewhere to be tonight. He¡¯d only taken a few more steps, however, before he heard a scared young voice calling out to him, ¡°Please, help us!¡± Vincent froze in his tracks, and let out a long, irritated sigh. This isn¡¯t the right night for this, he thought. But looking down at his KD, he saw it was the right time. He waited another thirty seconds, then moved into the small alley where two students¨Ca boy and girl, both looking around twelve¨Cwere pinned to the wall by Gary. Gary was large, easily half a foot taller than Vincent, and bulky with Gamma-grown muscle. Vincent didn¡¯t stand a chance against him, but he walked up behind the enormous bully regardless. He moved quietly, knowing he had few options. Of course, weaker or not, Vincent was still an Adept, and he was likely stronger than any normal human twice his size. Physics was a dangerous weapon. As Gary pushed the two against the wall once more, Vincent surprised him by gripping his face, then pulling him backwards and slamming him into the ground. Muscle was great, but if you weren¡¯t using it right, it was just more mass to be thrown around. Gary¡¯s head hit the cobblestone first, with his legs comically folding underneath him then flinging outward from the momentum. Vincent wasted no time, grabbing both students and ushering them out of the alley. As he did, he spoke loudly, but calmly, as if nothing was the matter, ¡°This way, kids, the dorms are over here, you must be lost¨C¡± He was cut off as push from behind sent him flying out into the open courtyard, tumbling to a stop easily fifteen feet away. He groaned, slowly rolling over. The two kids were screaming, but Gary was loud enough to be heard over both of them. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you Villari!¡± he screamed while charging out of the alley. He managed to take two full steps before a stun baton slammed into the back of his neck, with a level of force only a completely developed Adept could manage. The baton lanced into his side several more times for good measure, and Gary convulsed with each electric shock. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± said the voice of Guard Captain Malary, the¨Cthankfully punctual¨Cleader of the 6:30 patrol of the Northern wall of the facility. ¡°Death threats, now Sawatzki? You¡¯re really upping your game.¡± He used the stun baton again. Punctual, and unpleasant. Bad luck, Gary. The Captain looked at Vincent, who was slowly dragging himself up, continuing to theatrically groan in pain. ¡°Villari, get these two to the dorms. Now.¡± Vincent nodded, then limped over to gather the students and usher them away. As soon as they were out of sight of the guards, Vincent straightened, abandoning the facade. ¡°You¡¯re okay now. Just avoid Gary for the next few days. He¡¯ll find another way to get himself into trouble.¡± He turned and started moving back toward his destination. ¡°Thank you!¡± said the girl, and Vincent raised a hand in acknowledgment. ¡°Go, quickly, or you¡¯ll get me in trouble,¡± he said, and thankfully heard them racing away a moment later. He¡¯d wasted enough time, and if he didn¡¯t hurry Clint might turn him away. Vincent doubled his pace, making sure to take a route that wouldn¡¯t cross the Guard¡¯s patrol. A few minutes later he was quietly knocking on the door of the small, unadorned shed tucked back in a group of trees by the North wall. Vincent anxiously searched around as he waited, but thankfully the sound of several electronic locks opening came after only a few moments. He rushed inside with no hesitation. The interior of the shed was a stark contrast to the outside¡¯s unassuming appearance. Rather than the collection of gardening equipment and tools one might expect, instead it was filled wall to wall with scraps of electronics, as well as numerous monitors and salvaged wall tablets. The entire room was lit by the blue light of countless devices, and it was always hot. Clint, the groundskeeper, and supposed Basic, sat on his customary stool on the opposite side of the small room, fiddling with something as usual. He was small, completely bald, and a little overweight. Dressed in plain coveralls, the only thing memorable about him were the glasses he wore, which magnified one eye and shrunk the other. He turned when Vincent shut the door, and looked him up and down with disapproval. ¡°Fighting? You better not have drawn the Guards to my door, Villari.¡± ¡°Never, Clint,¡± Vincent said quickly, knowing the paranoid man was not someone he wanted to upset. Vincent knew his secret; Clint was actually a Tech, and with the right leverage he could make use of that fact for himself. However, if Clint ever decided Vincent might give away that secret, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill him. Vincent glanced around at the seemingly innocuous pieces of technology adorning the walls, and wondered¨Cnot for the first time¨Cjust how many were capable of ending his life at a single thought from the plain looking man. ¡°I just need favors, same as always,¡± he placed a handful of Gamma doses on a nearby workbench. ¡°And I¡¯ll pay, same as always.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Thankfully, Clint was as addicted to Gamma as anyone Vincent had met, and he couldn¡¯t secure it easily for himself while keeping his cover as a Basic. He snatched the small green vials, and tossed them into a nearby drawer. ¡°More messages? Whoever you¡¯re sending fan mail to isn¡¯t worth this risk, Villari.¡± ¡°Thank you, Clint,¡± Vincent replied, ignoring the warning. He placed a small data drive on the table, and the tech rolled his eyes before plugging it directly into a nearby drive, tossing it back a second later. ¡°Messages sent,¡± he said, and a display confirmed that fact. Now operations Usurper and Glass would proceed on schedule, even if Vincent couldn¡¯t communicate regularly for the next several months. Clint went back to his work, but looked behind him again a few moments later. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± In answer, Vincent placed another fifteen doses of Gamma on the desk, but slightly out of the Tech¡¯s reach. Clint¡¯s eyes narrowed, but his suspicion couldn¡¯t hide his hunger for the vials. ¡°What¡¯s this, then? More messages?¡± Vincent produced the three K-Tech Devices, his, Lucia¡¯s, and Danny¡¯s, and placed them next to the Gamma. ¡°I need these scrubbed,¡± he said simply, gauging the man¡¯s reaction before giving up anything more. Clint¡¯s eyebrows raised, but he didn¡¯t look outraged or upset, and Vincent inwardly relaxed¨Che had worried that even asking for this might push Clint over the edge. The Tech looked from the small hand devices to Vincent, then spoke at last. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to send messages yourself, even if they are scrubbed. You can intercept signals from outside, and you¡¯ll get full access to the Network, but KDs can¡¯t transmit in the compound.¡± Vincent almost laughed in relief. The man¡¯s biggest concern was that Vincent would still bring him Gamma for more transmissions. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Clint. As long as you keep sending my¡­fan mail, I won¡¯t need that. Can you do it? Tonight?¡± The man tapped a finger against his chin while staring at Vincent, and didn¡¯t answer right away. ¡°Twenty more doses,¡± he said at last, and Vincent let his jaw drop. ¡°This is half a month¡¯s rations right here¨C¡± he began, gesturing at the pile he¡¯d placed on the table. ¡°Then find another Tech,¡± Clint said, turning away. Vincent was careful not to let anything show on his face. He knew the man was likely seeing him through a dozen cameras right now, and he couldn¡¯t risk losing this bluff. For the second time this night he leaned on his meager acting skills, letting out a long, dejected sigh. Kneeling down, he pulled a small pouch from his sock, and upended it on the table. ¡°I can give you another twelve, but¡­it¡¯s all we have. Please, Clint, I thought we were friends!¡± He really didn¡¯t. Clint had gone very still at the sound of more doses clinking against each other. It was more than Vincent usually paid the man in months, and he was counting on it being too much to resist. When the man hadn¡¯t moved after more than a minute, Vincent finally played another card. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m sorry I asked, Clint. Please don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± He slowly dragged the Gamma back toward his pouch, making sure the glass vials made as much noise as possible as he did so. Clint visibly flinched at every sound, then finally turned around. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it, Villari. But only because we¡¯re friends.¡± They really weren¡¯t. Vincent put on his best smile and pushed the devices toward Clint as quickly as he could. He didn¡¯t think the man would try to steal the vials, but as long as Vincent was still in a position to smash them, he had a hint of leverage. ¡°Thank you so much, Clint! My friends and I are going to be able to watch movies, old TV, anything! You¡¯re the best,¡± the man only grunted in acknowledgement, turning away from Vincent and gathering a few more tools. He turned again in under a minute, tossing the KDs back and holding out his hand for the Gamma. Vincent retreated a step, ¡°You have to be kidding,¡± he said, accidentally letting his normal tone come through. He looked down at his own device, which unlocked in his hand. Welcome to the Network [VINCENT VILLARI]. ADMIN access granted. Send/Receive Access granted. Warning: Send functionality currently limited. Restricted Class database Access Granted No Class detected. Starting device in ADEPT mode. Vincent looked up, unable to hide his surprise. ¡°It was that easy?¡± he couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking. Thankfully, Clint just laughed. ¡°Sure, easy. Just takes being a Tech for almost four decades. Now, Gamma,¡± he finished, while waggling his fingers. Vincent hastily poured the doses into the pouch, and passed them over. He¡¯d already pushed his luck. ¡°Thanks Clint, I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± the Tech just grunted again, turning away and clutching the pouch to his chest. ¡°Coast is clear. Get the hell out of my shed,¡± he said gruffly, and Vincent hurriedly complied, happy he didn¡¯t need to give the man the other thirty doses he¡¯d brought. *** ¡°How the hell did you get these?¡± Danny whispered¨Cway too loudly. Lucia smacked him in the arm, then gestured at the gathering of hundreds of students around them. It was a bright, sunny day, and one of the exercise fields had been co- opted for the power demonstration. Everyone was now waiting for Legacy¡¯s arrival, supposed to be any moment. Vincent looked over and saw that Danny was scrolling through countless restricted broadcasts, marveling at his scrubbed K-Device. In front of everyone. ¡°Put it away, Danny,¡± he said forcefully, and his friend begrudgingly complied. ¡°And we don¡¯t talk about that here, remember?¡± Danny finally had the grace to blush, and Lucia rolled her eyes in disappointment. ¡°Besides,¡± Vincent continued, ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter how I did it. We have what we need, now. Just be happy and wait for your idol,¡± he added bitterly. Danny looked at him, obviously understanding that he¡¯d upset Vincent, but not truly grasping the why. Vincent absently wondered if he should tell his friend the full story of how he¡¯d come to be in the Farm, but this wasn¡¯t the time for that. Danny clearly made an effort to find his previous excitement, looking around the crowd and trying to see over heads to watch the front gate in the distance. Vincent looked away, disappointed with himself. He¡¯d resolved to let this go, but it wasn¡¯t easy. He was considering apologizing to his friend when the crowd of students all began talking at once. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Danny said, being the only one of the three tall enough to see what was happening. The unorganized mass of students all began shuffling and moving around, everyone trying to see the gate at once, but the ever-present guards were having none of this. A few moments of this behavior was all it took for Guard Captain Malary¡¯s voice to roar out. ¡°Everyone in line, NOW!¡± he bellowed, and the students hurriedly tried to follow the instructions, pushing one another freely. The Captain¡¯s love of his stun baton was well known, and no one wanted to risk angering him further. It took a couple of minutes for the two hundred or so students to gather shoulder to shoulder, but they managed it. Everyone now had a clear view of the procession of army vehicles that was heading toward the field, and the anticipation grew with each moment. Captain Malary¡¯s glare, combined with the rhythmic tapping of his baton into his open palm kept the group quiet, but it was clear that many of the students were fit to burst with excitement. At last the trucks came to a stop in a messy line nearby, and soldiers began to pile out. These were the Elites, as their all-black uniforms indicated. Each one would have some kind of advanced class, though nothing at the level of those rare few that made up the official hero teams. Still, they were miles beyond the Basics which guarded the students, and any one of them was likely just as deadly without the powered rifles they carried. Several came and joined the guards as crowd control, with the rest forming a rough perimeter. Vincent couldn¡¯t imagine what possible threat they were looking for, as their charge was capable of leveling this entire compound on his own. At last a final vehicle¡¯s door opened, and a very large man stepped out. Dean Allister stepped forward to greet the man, surprisingly¨Cand somewhat disturbingly¨Cwearing a full smile. Vincent looked at the newcomer with confusion. He was dressed in nothing but shades of gray, and wore what almost looked like medieval armor. Metal plates were attached to combat fatigues, and he even had a full knight¡¯s helm, completely covering his face. ¡°That¡¯s Ironfist,¡± Danny whispered¨Cthis time at an appropriate volume. ¡°He¡¯s not in the news much, but I¡¯m pretty sure he was on the same team as the Warden back in the day.¡± Vincent nodded, that answered one question. The students continued to watch with obvious impatience as the two men carried on some unheard conversation for several minutes. At last the Dean led Ironfist to the front of the gathering. ¡°Students, we are lucky to host the great Ironfist for our demonstration today. Some of you may know of his heroics in G-Force, but you¡¯ll have a far better understanding of his abilities after today, I assure you,¡± he stepped back, indicating his companion. ¡°Ironfist!¡± he called out, and began clapping. The students hastily followed his lead, though their disappointment was obvious. Many still tried to look past the man to see if anyone else would exit the parked vehicles. It was impossible to tell what Ironfist thought of their reaction with his face entirely hidden, and he merely waited patiently for the clapping to cease. Once it did, his own voice rang out over the crowd, deep and slow. ¡°Thank you for hosting me, future heroes. I look forward to demonstrating the powers that you all no doubt aspire to.¡± Silence answered his words, until another voice called out from somewhere down the line from Vincent. He shook his head in wonder, of course it was Gary. ¡°Who the hell is this guy?¡± he yelled. ¡°Where¡¯s Legacy?¡± Captain Malary was sprinting toward Gary, baton raised, but he came to a sudden halt when Ironfist¡¯s hand landed on his shoulder. Murmurs came from the gathered students: Ironfist had easily been fifty feet away from the Captain only a moment ago. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Guardsman,¡± came the deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s a fair question.¡± Malary reluctantly backed away, and Ironfist continued. ¡°So, you were all hoping to see Legacy, were you?¡± A scattering of agreement could be heard, though many of the students were obviously very nervous around the strange man in knight¡¯s armor. ¡°Do you really think that one of the greatest heroes this world has ever known would just show up at this Facility?¡± he asked the crowd, and the students started shuffling and muttering in confusion. The large man waited until the voices started to rise, then raised a hand for silence. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. Heroes don¡¯t just show up¡­you need to call on them!¡± Vincent raised an eyebrow, finally recognizing the pageantry for what it was. The students murmured again, but most hadn¡¯t caught on. ¡°Well,¡± Ironfist continued, ¡°I said you need to call on him!¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes widened as Danny was the first to take up the call, ¡°LEGACY!¡± he screamed into the sky. Vincent was about to chide his friend for drawing attention, but barely a second passed before more calls started to ring out. Ironfist started pumping his fist in the air, chanting ¡®Legacy¡¯, each time. Soon the calling synchronized into a chant, with nearly every student shouting out to the hero at the top of their voices. Vincent was disgusted, but mouthed the name along with them, knowing he couldn¡¯t afford to stand out. The chanting continued for nearly two minutes before their answer came. Every single vehicle, parked so haphazardly before, was suddenly lifted into the air, a familiar green glow gathering around them. The chanting stopped abruptly as every student watched in fascination. The massive trucks hovered almost ten feet above the ground, and began organizing themselves into a neat semicircle, surrounding the area marked out for the demonstration. Finally they lowered back to the ground, and the students looked around in anticipation and excitement, trying to spot the hero. Once again it was Danny who was ahead of everyone, and he pointed at the sky with open wonder. Everyone followed his gesture, staring in astonishment as something akin to a demigod drifted down toward them. The man had changed since the pictures in the Pledge, with his uniform updated for modern sensibilities, but there could be no doubt as to who he was. The suit was still mostly blue, but mixed with black like the Elites, and only small spots of red and white decorating the fabric stretched over toned muscles. He was in the center of a bubble of the same shade of green that had surrounded the vehicles¡­the same exact shade as the Rad storms. He landed lightly in the center of the open area, his short brown hair blowing in the wind the moment the bubble disappeared. As he surveyed the gathering of adoring students, he finally smiled and raised his arms to his sides. Legacy had arrived. Chapter 5: Heroes The supers are their tools. Vincent knew he was staring at Legacy with fury in his eyes, and could only hope that he wouldn¡¯t stand out amongst the hundreds of starstruck students. The man did project an aura of power and fame that was hard to ignore. This was someone who¡¯d been a resistance fighter during the invasion, then trained under the Great Hero himself. He was over a century old, and looked barely into his thirties. He was powerful, and pristine, more of a symbol than a man, and he was the embodiment of the ideals that the New Global Government claimed to hold. He was also a murderer, and the man Vincent hated more than anyone alive. ¡°Greetings, future heroes!¡± Legacy called out in a strong, confident voice. ¡°I¡¯m honored to be your guest today, and for this chance to have a small part in your education! You¡¯re the future of this united world of ours, and if it were up to me, every last one of you would be drafted into the hero squad!¡± The entire group erupted at this, no matter how absurd the statement was. The man knew how to control crowds far more challenging than a bunch of students who worshiped him. Vincent had seen videos of Legacy all over the world, talking to warlords who¡¯d carved out their own private kingdoms, villains with entire cities held hostage, and more. He always knew just what to say. Just what lies to tell. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have much time today, so I¡¯ll be focusing on a few key issues. The first is what it means to be super,¡± he smiled, shaking his head. ¡°You know I hate that word? GH hated it too¨Coh sorry, you probably know him as the ¡®Great hero¡¯, but he didn¡¯t like that title either.¡± Legacy winked at the crowd of students, and they practically melted at his words. ¡°But that¡¯s what we are, isn¡¯t it? They call us ¡®super¡¯, and we spend our lives trying to live up to that label. Some think super means super-famous,¡± there was a scattering of cheers at that. ¡°Others think it means super-entitled. We call those people ¡®villains¡¯,¡± boos followed the comment as if on queue. ¡°The truth is, super actually means ¡®responsible¡¯. Because that¡¯s what we are. That¡¯s what every one of you is: responsible for what you do with your powers. Responsible for the lives you save, and the people you hurt,¡± the crowd was deadly quiet at that, and Legacy¡¯s face had turned very serious. ¡°Whatever else you learn today, I want you to remember that. There¡¯s a lot I could teach you, and even more you can learn at this remarkable school, but there¡¯s nothing more important than understanding the burden of your own gifts,¡± he slowly paced in front of the crowd as he spoke. ¡°I hope every last one of you will think about what you can use those gifts for. Maybe you¡¯ll end up in a relatively normal life; it happens. Maybe you¡¯ll join the army, or even special forces; we always need more fantastic recruits,¡± he paused, facing the group. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll join me in the Hero Tower some day, on Team Infinity itself,¡± Vincent saw Danny stand up straighter, but tried to ignore it. ¡°But wherever your path leads, remember that you¡¯re responsible for the good, and the bad you do along the way. Always take your gifts seriously¡­GH taught me that, before I was ready to understand it.¡± Vincent¡¯s rage had quieted slightly. This had been more earnest than he¡¯d expected, or was Legacy just that good? Legacy was looking off into the distance now, and he did so until it began to get awkward. When he spoke again, his manner had completely changed, and he was the peppy superhero once more. ¡°Alright then!¡± he called out, clapping his hands. ¡°Who¡¯s ready for a little fun¨CI mean, a very important educational demonstration?¡± he winked again, and the crowd went crazy. Legacy grinned broadly, and gestured for Ironfist to join him in the center of the open area. The larger man did so, but Vincent noted that he seemed more than a little reluctant, and was hastily tightening and checking his armor. ¡°Now,¡± Legacy began, ¡°there are three lessons that I¡¯d like to impart today. Please listen and observe carefully, it won¡¯t be fair to make my buddy Ironfist do this more than once.¡± ¡°Whatever you need, Legacy!¡± Ironfist called out, but it sounded rehearsed. Legacy smiled and laughed affably. ¡°What I¡¯ll be demonstrating is how to handle a supervillain,¡± Legacy said, and once more it got very quiet. ¡°Now, I hope that none of you ever has to go head to head with a true villain, but you¡¯ll need to be prepared either way. Let¡¯s start with the first lesson.¡± Ironfist squared up in a combat stance, and Legacy gestured to him while he spoke, ¡°This lesson is about how to handle an enemy¡¯s strength. Supers¨Cgood and bad¨Chave a very wide range of physical abilities, and you won¡¯t always know your opponent¡¯s ahead of time. Trust me that you don¡¯t want to find out their limits by taking a hit¨Cit may end up being your last.¡± He nodded at Ironfist, and the man charged at him, throwing a wide right hook that clearly had considerable strength behind it. Legacy effortlessly ducked under the wild strike, while simultaneously finding the back of Ironfist¡¯s helmet with his own hand as the huge man flew by. With sudden force, Legacy slammed his opponent¡¯s head down, using the momentum of the man¡¯s own punch to send him crashing face-first into the ground. A number of students laughed out loud at the sight, none louder than Gary Sawatzki, ever the sadist. Legacy ignored the downed hero and continued speaking, ¡°Super powered fights are about understanding how to avoid direct confrontations, and how to use a villain¡¯s strength against them.¡± Vincent bristled. Not only had the man done almost exactly what he had to Gary the night before, but even his reasoning was the same. Vincent¡¯s rational mind recognized that a veteran hero sharing his strategies was actually a sign of their value, but this was one of the rare times his emotions were in control, and he felt his face heating. He didn¡¯t want to have anything in common with this man. By now, Ironfist was picking himself off the ground, mud caked to the front of his knight¡¯s helm. Legacy gave him a friendly smile before continuing. ¡°The next lesson builds on the first. This time we¡¯ll explore similar situations, but with powers,¡± the students cheered loudly at this, as it was what they¡¯d really come to see. Ironfist stepped back and raised his hands in front of him. The metal of his gauntlets began to shift, until it looked like his arms ended in two enormous spiked balls, each nearly as large as his torso. With a gesture they detached from his wrists, falling heavily to the ground, but still connected by thick chains. ¡°As you can see, Ironfist has some particularly nasty abilities. He¡¯s a Metalmorph, and can transform parts of his body into metallic objects. Now, most of you are likely aware of my own abilities,¡± this was greeted by nods. Not only was the study of Legacy mandatory and frequent in the farm, but his abilities were famously the closest to ever Manifesting like the Great Hero¡¯s. He raised his own hands, and two green shields of light appeared, hovering in the air. ¡°Now, this is where most heroes make their mistakes. If you only think about your own powers, you can end up pitting your strengths directly against your opponent¡¯s.¡± He stepped back, leaving his shields in place, hovering in front of him, then nodded at Ironfist. The large knight began swinging his arms around like giant flails, and after a moment he brought them both down in a flash, crashing into the green shields, and shattering them like glass. The spiked balls withdrew immediately to rest on the ground in front of Ironfist once more. Legacy applauded politely, and a number of students joined in. ¡°You see the problem? Not only are you rarely going to meet an opponent whose powers are equally developed to your own, but powers can also be extremely diverse. Even if you¡¯re stronger, as I am¨Cno offense Ironfist, I have a few years on you yet! That doesn¡¯t mean your particular abilities are going to be effective in a direct confrontation. Let¡¯s do that again, but try to apply our first lesson.¡± Legacy stepped forward, standing exactly where his shields had just been destroyed, and nodded at Ironfist once more, who somehow managed to appear reluctant, even with his face covered. Legacy just tilted his head questioningly, and Ironfist shook his own for a moment before gathering momentum for his flails once again. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. He took a little longer this time, whether hesitating or actually gathering more force than last time, Vincent couldn¡¯t tell. He did find himself leaning forward, however, his mind briefly entertaining a fantasy of watching a training exercise go wrong, and seeing the mighty Legacy simultaneously impaled and crushed. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t to be. As soon as Ironfist shifted the momentum so that the spiked balls went flying directly overhead, Legacy raised a hand in a simple gesture. As hundreds of pounds of sharp steel arced through the air, a green bar of stationary energy appeared halfway between the two men, lateral to the ground. As soon as the chains hit the bar, the trajectory of the two spiked balls changed. Vincent had seen a video of a yoyo once, and someone had done a similar trick by catching the string in the middle, causing the yoyo to rapidly pivot on a new axis. This was more impressive, and infinitely more brutal. In a single moment, the spiked balls were no longer traveling toward Legacy, and instead were now soaring toward their origin point: Ironfist himself. To the man¡¯s credit, he managed to do something before being struck, and the spikes on the balls shrunk inward before they collided with him, making a somewhat comical clang as they did so. Ironfist was launched into the air from the force of the impact, his chains still caught on the green bar high above him, and he swung backward before the bar abruptly disappeared and he fell to the ground in a heap. The entire crowd was shocked to silence for a moment¨Chad they really witnessed a hero almost killed by his own powers? Finally the silence was broken by another fit of laughter, as Gary broke the tension. More laughter followed when Ironfist began to rise, withdrawing his flails back into his arms. Legacy smiled as well, and began clapping. ¡°How about another big round of applause for Ironfist!¡± he called out, and the students clapped and laughed at the same time. After a few moments, Legacy made a show of checking his watch, then shook his head sadly. ¡°Unfortunately I¡¯ll need to cut this a little short. Sorry Ironfist, looks like our fun will have to stop here,¡± the man was clutching a severely dented breastplate, and appeared to be panting, but he gave a friendly wave to Legacy regardless. The cheering had turned to groans of disappointment at hearing that Legacy was preparing to leave, but the man just smiled and gestured for quiet. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry. I wish I had more time. But don¡¯t worry, the last lesson is a bit easier. It¡¯s going to sound corny, but it really is the most important: teamwork.¡± The reactions were mixed, but Legacy clearly expected this. ¡°I¡¯m serious! There¡¯s a reason that I have Team Infinity, and that there¡¯s hero teams all over the world. The simple truth is that there¡¯s safety¨Cand strategy¨Cin numbers. Any hero can fall without help, and I¡¯ve seen it happen to some great ones. So don¡¯t do this alone. ¡°Find a team, find people you trust, and supplement your weaknesses with their strengths. That¡¯s the real way to stack the odds in your favor. Even the Great Hero himself knew that,¡± Legacy took a moment to let his final lesson land, and Vincent found that it truly had. He resolved that when he hunted Legacy down some day, it would be with a group of powerful allies. ¡°Well, as I said, it¡¯s time for me to go,¡± the groans returned, and Legacy smiled and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, a hero¡¯s work is never done! I leave you all in the very capable hands of Ironfist. He¡¯s a real pro, and I expect you to show him the same respect as you did me.¡± There was some scattered laughter at that, which Legacy ignored. ¡°So long, future heroes. I hope the next time we meet, it¡¯s in Hero Tower!¡± With that he soared into the air, a green shimmer surrounding him. The students continued to applaud as they watched him go, until Ironfist stepped forward. Suddenly they were left with a powerful super that they¡¯d treated like a joke, and silence settled over the crowd. ¡°Well, I hope you found that informative,¡± he said, his voice muffled by the helm. ¡°But I think we really need a proper demonstration, to make sure the lessons stick.¡± The assembled students looked at one another in confusion, but Ironfist didn¡¯t waste any time. ¡°You!¡± he called out, pointing at a male student that Vincent didn¡¯t know. ¡°Join me in the center,¡± Ironfist said in a cold voice. The student looked stunned at being singled out, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation Captain Malary walked up and grabbed him, dragging him forward to stand across from Ironfist. He looked terrified, but Ironfist laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kid, you don¡¯t even have your power yet; obviously I¡¯m not going to fight you. Not alone anyway,¡± he turned and pointed seemingly at random. This student Vincent did know. Her name was Anissa Vasquez, and he only remembered her because she so clearly didn¡¯t seem to belong here. She was kind, and shy, and never wanted to participate in anything resembling training. Vincent shook his head in disgust. Ironfist waited as the small girl slowly stepped up to stand slightly behind the first student, not looking directly at the supposed hero. The last student clearly wasn¡¯t a random choice, as Ironfist actually went to the assembled line personally, and his choice was immediately obvious. ¡°You look like you have a promising hero career ahead of you,¡± he said to Gary, who no longer seemed capable of laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll benefit from these lessons more than most. Come, it¡¯ll be educational,¡± he said, not bothering to hide the venom in his tone. He took Gary¡¯s arm and effortlessly dragged him toward the other two students. ¡°Now, obviously I won¡¯t be using my powers, as that wouldn¡¯t be fair. This will strictly be hand to hand combat, three against one. Try to go easy on me!¡± he called out, but the group stayed perfectly still, none seeing the humor. ¡°Oh come now, didn¡¯t you listen to Legacy¡¯s lessons? It certainly sounded like you enjoyed them. You just need to use teamwork, and turn my own strength against me. It¡¯s easy!¡± Still, none of the three moved, if anything they looked even more terrified. Ironfist was tapping a foot theatrically, and he gestured to the assembled students. ¡°You¡¯re wasting everyone¡¯s time, children. This is an important lesson, don¡¯t you want to help your fellow students to learn?¡± When the three just looked back and forth between one another helplessly, Ironfist shrugged. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll happily make the first move,¡± he laughed in a way that might have sounded friendly under different circumstances. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t expect you to turn my attacks back on me if I don¡¯t attack! Well done students, let¡¯s begin.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t see the man move, he was suddenly just standing among the group of three, and the kid Vincent didn¡¯t know was doubled over the hero¡¯s fist, struggling to breath. Red blood was visible against the boy¡¯s dark skin, trickling down his face as he desperately wheezed. Ironfist lifted him in one hand as Gary and Anissa backed away, horror and shock on their faces. ¡°Come on, where¡¯s the teamwork?¡± he called out, while inspecting the boy who still couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°This is disappointing,¡± he said sadly, then with a dismissive gesture Ironfist threw the boy into the ground with bone-cracking intensity. Ironfirst simply ignored the unmoving boy, and began walking toward the other two students. ¡°Well?¡± he called out, disappointment in his tone. ¡°You¡¯re running out of time¨Cand teammates¨Churry up and use the valuable lessons you¡¯ve learned!¡± he chided. Annissa just collapsed to the ground, but Gary actually seemed to have found some of his own rage, and looked to be gathering his courage for an attack. Ironfist cocked his helmeted head at the bully, then reached down and picked up Annissa. Without looking away from Gary, he began to slap her with his gauntleted hand. Even with a superhuman constitution, she looked to have lost consciousness after the first hit, but Ironfist didn¡¯t stop. Slap, slap, slap, her dark brown hair was now turning red from her own blood, but Ironfist didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. ¡°I¡¯m waiting¡± he said, sounding bored, and finally Gary moved. He charged into Ironfist, trying to tackle him around his middle, but the knight didn¡¯t budge an inch from the impact. He tossed Annissa away like a broken doll, then reached down and gripped Gary by the collar. He pulled the boy¡¯s face close to his own, then muttered something Vincent was too far away to hear. Gary¡¯s face lost all color, and he stumbled backward when Ironfist unexpectedly released him. He didn¡¯t even move when the huge man advanced on him, appearing completely paralyzed by fear. Vincent noticed Danny and many other students had turned from the sight, and more than one had vomited. Vincent watched, however. He knew this was what the heroes really were, and he wouldn¡¯t let himself look away. Ironfist did worse to Gary than he had to either of the others, and the sounds of gauntleted fist meeting flesh continued for a sickeningly long time. It didn¡¯t help that Gary was a bully, or that he¡¯d hurt others. In this moment he was just a child being savagely beaten by a brutal man. Vincent took careful note of every guard and soldier present, and didn¡¯t see a single one who looked bothered by the sight. Finally Dean Allister stepped forward, and at a gesture a team of medics rushed in to gather the three students. Doses of Gamma were administered immediately, which would likely keep them alive, but not much more. The Dean¡¯s voice was as dry as usual, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to shake Ironfist¡¯s bloody hand before addressing the students once more. ¡°What a remarkable lesson Ironfist has imparted here today. I trust everyone will remember it for years to come. Let¡¯s get a round of applause for our visiting hero!¡± Students slowly began to clap, many still crying or refusing to even turn around, but the faculty seemed content. Vincent clapped along the rest. He would absolutely remember this lesson. Chapter 6: The Prophet They¡¯ll exterminate us all. Vincent was leaning against the wall in his dorm room, staring at nothing. Memories of today¡¯s ¡®demonstration¡¯ played out over and over in his mind, and he knew he wasn¡¯t the only one. Lucia was similarly lost in thought, sitting on his bed quietly. Vincent absently wondered whose thoughts she was lost in, but knew that was a deadend. Danny was dealing in his own way, tossing a ball against the opposite wall and catching it. Every minute or so he¡¯d stop, shake his head as if disagreeing with himself, then throw the ball again. Vincent considered what his role was in this moment, and decided he had to try to get their minds elsewhere. ¡°Danny, did you sign up for harvester duty?¡± his friend turned and looked at him in disbelief, and the ball fell and rolled under the bed. ¡°Is that seriously what you¡¯re thinking about? After what we just saw? Ironfist is a god damned psycho!¡± ¡°I saw, but the difference is that I wasn¡¯t surprised. I¡¯ve been telling you what the heroes are like for years,¡± Vincent answered. Lucia had looked up and was watching them, an unreadable expression on her face. Danny looked more upset for some reason. ¡°What do you mean ¡®heroes¡¯, plural? Legacy was everything he was supposed to be! He was inspiring and¡­and heroic!¡± Danny was standing now, his face turning red. ¡°I bet he was embarrassing that metal asshole because he knew he deserved it!¡± Lucia sighed out loud at that, and Danny spun on her. ¡°Not you too?¡± Lucia¡¯s voice was calm when she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what Legacy is like, Danny, but do you think anything good came from what he did to Ironfist? At best, he just didn¡¯t think about the consequences, and¡­well, someone with power like his, who doesn¡¯t consider how his actions might affect others is dangerous, Danny.¡± Danny appeared even angrier, and he rapidly looked back and forth between the siblings, seeming to be daring them to keep talking. Neither did. At last he swore, and moved toward the door. He turned the handle then paused, and turned back. ¡°I signed up for stupid harvester duty. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to save Lucia¡­because that¡¯s what heroes do.¡± He quickly left then, slamming the door behind him. The two Villaris went back to their silence for a time. They both knew how hard this was for Danny, and Lucia reminded Vincent seemingly every day to cut their friend as much slack as possible. Unfortunately, just because they weren¡¯t going to talk about Danny, didn¡¯t mean Lucia didn¡¯t have a sermon planned. ¡°Do you really need more convincing that these kids need your help? There¡¯s Power Farms all over the world, and tragedies like today¡¯s are happening all the time,¡± Vincent didn¡¯t feel like rehashing the same argument. ¡°We still need to find a way to disable our harnesses,¡± he said as if his sister hadn¡¯t spoken. She narrowed her eyes, but she knew Vincent well enough to understand when she wasn¡¯t going to win ground in an argument. Instead she let out a sigh. ¡°You took our KDs, didn¡¯t tell us where, and came back with them scrubbed and connected to the secret government branch of the Network in one night. You really can¡¯t use the same mysterious method to flick a switch on our harnesses?¡± ¡°I imagine the explosive charges are more complex than you¡¯re implying, but I take your point. Unfortunately I don¡¯t think we can trust my contact for something like this. Even asking is as much as admitting we¡¯re planning to escape, and that level of trust is beyond this relationship,¡± Lucia just waited. Was she hoping he¡¯d say more, or was she listening to his thoughts, trying to ferret out the truth another way? Mist, mist, mist¡­Stop it!, he said to himself, and maybe to Lucia as well, just in case. ¡°Beyond that, we wouldn¡¯t know if it worked until the day comes and we either explode or don¡¯t. I¡¯d rather find something more definitive if we can,¡± he leaned his head back against the wall, thinking. ¡°If we can¡¯t find a better option¡­I¡¯ll ask. But trust me that we really want to find a better option.¡± Vincent glanced down at his K-Device, checking the time. ¡°I need to go, Villain Studies starts soon,¡± he said in a flat tone. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Vincent, not today. You know who the subject is,¡± her voice was pleading, and honestly¡­it nearly worked. ¡°Under the circumstances, I think it would be harder on you than me,¡± he said instead, and left his dorm. As Vincent walked through the quiet campus, there were signs everywhere of the after-effects of today¡¯s demonstration. He passed several younger students crying quietly in one alcove or another, and the rumors were everywhere. Apparently the student he hadn¡¯t known was named Cole, and he wasn¡¯t expected to walk again. Vincent let it all roll over him, as it suited his mood, and that of the class he was going to. Like Instructor Smythe¡¯s lectures on Heroes, this one repeated case studies often, and focused on the Prophet most of all. The Psychic War was the biggest confrontation between super powered beings since the invasion, and it hadn¡¯t been that long ago. Stepping into the classroom, it was immediately apparent that a number of students were missing, but he still saw a few he recognized. Eric Palmer was there, and Vincent briefly wondered how Danny would handle being on the harvester team with him. Kristy and Elena were there as well, sitting next to each other like they had in the cafeteria the other night. Vincent found his customary seat behind Emi Sato. He considered that he¡¯d no longer need to spy on her KD to watch Veridicus¡¯ broadcasts, though another one wasn¡¯t expected for a few days. Instead he sat up straight and waited for Instructor Callum to begin the lecture. The older man entered soon after, squinting at the fluorescent light in the concrete bunker of a room, and quickly turned off the row above the board and projector. As usual, he wasted no time. ¡°Today we¡¯ll be discussing the greatest Villain of our age: the Prophet. I know we¡¯ve covered this topic before, so consider this a refresher for some of you, and an introduction for our newer students.¡± A glance told Vincent that there were no new students in the class today, but that would never bother Instructor Callum, who appeared to never tire of discussing those he claimed were the worst people in history. ¡°Of course, we cannot discuss the Prophet without also talking about the Psychic war, and the Cult of the Mind.¡± He flicked on the projector, and absently flipped through still images as he spoke. Some were relevant, others less so. Currently it was a shot of the crowds protesting the rising number of supers Manifesting the Psychic class. ¡°You should know from Instructor Smythe¡¯s class that the late 1980s saw a significant rise in second generation Adepts. To review: all of the naturally occurring Adepts were killed in the invasion, save for the Great Hero himself, of course. However, by the 1960s a whole new generation had been born, and the world was flooded with potential supers. ¡°However, this first generation was quite limited, as the Network and harnesses didn¡¯t yet exist,¡± he looked out over the class, his eyes stopping on Eric. ¡°Mr. Palmer, can you tell me what happens to an Adept without a harness to regulate their Alpha-intake?¡± Eric wasn¡¯t known for being particularly bright, but no one would get this question wrong. ¡°They explode, sir,¡± Eric replied without hesitation. ¡°Correct! Our bodies are virtually incapable of self-regulating the radiation expelled by the Watcher. If one is born an Adept¨Ccapable of metabolizing the radiation in any of its forms¨Cthen that energy will take hold, gather, and eventually explode.¡± Elena raised her hand, and Instructor Callum nodded at her, ¡°How did the Great Hero survive?¡± she asked, and Vincent realized he hadn¡¯t seen her in Power Studies before, some of this actually would be new to her. ¡°A very small percentage of Adepts have proven talented enough to be able to control their excess energy before it reaches volatility. Believe it or not, the Great Hero claimed he was only capable of doing so because his own power was comparatively low.¡± Vincent leaned forward, he hadn¡¯t heard that piece of trivia before. Elena looked as fascinated as he was, ¡°The Great Hero thought he was weak?¡± she said in disbelief. ¡°But then how was he capable of¡­well, everything he accomplished?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Instructor Callum looked a bit irritated now, ¡°Those questions should be saved for Hero studies. For now, all I¡¯ll say is that humans have proven to be particularly suitable hosts for the asteroid¡¯s radiation, and the Great Hero had unique advantages that he was able to exploit during the invasion.¡± He flicked to another side, making it clear the subject was closed. A blueprint of one of the first harnesses appeared on the large screen. Another click sounded, and the image switched to a man having one installed. The metal rivets were attached to every vertebrae along the spine, and Vincent winced in sympathy. The early models must have been remarkably uncomfortable, sticking out as far as they did¨Cthough obviously they were better than exploding. Vincent could feel his own harness through his clothing, but only if he thought about it. His had been installed when he was a child, and the metal paneling was so flat he could lie on his back without noticing it. ¡°Thankfully the NGG, with the help of Tecnico and his team of Tech Knights, managed to create the harnesses, and the Network to run them.¡± Vincent shook his head slightly. Everyone in the NGG liked to skip past the nearly two decades of Adepts exploding without warning all over the planet, massively disrupting a painfully slow recovery from the invasion, and causing an entire generation of people to live in constant fear. Would you simply explode someday, without warning? Would your neighbors? Would your family? ¡°The next generation seemed like it would bring on a new age of power and prosperity. Thousands of Adepts successfully Manifested, with a myriad of new abilities. Unfortunately, one of those ¡®classes¡¯ as they came to be called, was the Psychic.¡± Instructor Callum rapidly cycled through a series of images, each depicting Psychics abusing their powers. Cheating at gambling, erasing minds, forcing people to hand over their wallets, and so on. ¡°Though few in number, the Psychic scourge was insidious. They Manifested a number of alarming abilities. From hearing our most private thoughts, to creating illusions and falsehoods, and of course the most terrifying of all: mind control.¡± He let that linger for a moment, enjoying the class¡¯s discomfort. Vincent however, was just lamenting that Lucia¡¯s first Manifestation was likely the least helpful to Operation Daylight. At last Callum continued, ¡°The public reacted in a perfectly understandable way, begging for the NGG to step in and regulate these dangerous manipulators.¡± More images went by, of the NGG council passing laws, and Psychic containment facilities being built. Psychics with augmented control-harnesses, chained and beaten. ¡°Sadly, the worst among the Psychics fought these reasonable restrictions, and created the infamous Cult of the Mind. These outlaws met in secret, plotting to conquer the world.¡± Vincent swallowed his anger, knowing all this before, but still feeling the pain of it every time. Still, he always refused to look away, and Lucia could never understand that. ¡°By the early 2000s, the Cult had secret branches all over the world, and they had begun to infiltrate every level of the New Global Government. The architect of this evil, and the most powerful of their number: the Prophet himself.¡± The images flicked through several photos¨Cblurry, and clearly taken in secret¨Cof a hooded and robed figure in discussions with various serious looking people. ¡°It¡¯s said that the Prophet was actually capable of life-long mind-alterations, something so horrifying I hesitate to even mention it to impressionable young people.¡± Vincent leaned forward in his seat, as they were coming up to the part of the lecture he truly cared about. Instructor Callum shuffled around his telling each time, but when he started to sound like he was lost in a ghost story, it meant it was almost time. ¡°There are no surviving records of the Prophet¡¯s specific words, but his deeds will never be forgotten,¡± the images began cycling through a number of colorfully dressed heroes, each one famous in their time, part of some hero team, and a Psychic. ¡°We¡¯ll never know which of these supposed heroes chose to turn on the world, and which were manipulated by the Prophet, but their crimes are felt to this day.¡± Vincent watched, ignoring the instructor as the images cycled, and finally he saw her. Long brown hair, pale skin, and a red cape over a black uniform. The final member of the original Team Infinity: his mother. Even the Network had been scrubbed of her completely, and this was the only time Vincent was ever able to truly see her, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. The images cycled on and he leaned back, his mood dark. ¡°Yes, not even those we trusted the most stood on the side of good, the side of humanity. The Great Hero himself turned away from the world when faced with the betrayal of those he¡¯d considered his friends and allies. In the years that followed, the Psychic war spilled onto our streets, and hero fought hero as no one knew who to trust.¡± Images of brutal slaughters cycled by, and a few students turned away¨Cperhaps still sick from the display they¡¯d witnessed earlier. Some of the images were of soldiers against a single hero, others of destroyed cities and dead civilians, and some showed dozens of heroes who had died fighting one another. ¡°But what did they fight for?¡± the instructor asked. ¡°The answer, of course, is in the name. The Prophet claimed to have the power to see the future. His ravings were never recorded firsthand, and different sources still lead to arguments about what his true motives were. Some believe¨Crightly, I think¨Cthat it was nothing but a shameless power grab.¡± Instructor Callum seemed reluctant to speak further, but he was a reasonably thorough person. ¡°Others believe that the Prophet ¡®foresaw¡¯ the return of the invaders. Supposedly he claimed that the Emperor was never defeated by the Great Hero, and instead hides above us still, deep within the Watcher. Waiting for the right moment to enact his revenge.¡± He was shaking his head in open disgust, ¡°If the Prophet truly spoke such lies, besmirching the honor of the Great Hero, then he was even more of a monster than the world knows.¡± At this point the room brightened as the next slides were official NGG propaganda, and showed the government sanctioned heroes in all their carefully crafted glory. Legacy was there, the sun behind him as he stood over the wreckage of some building, striking his most heroic pose. ¡°Thankfully in the end, goodness and righteousness prevailed. The NGG¡¯s enlisted Psychics were weaponized, and though it took nearly twenty years, they identified every last lair that the Cult of the Mind was hiding in like rats.¡± Instructor Callum kept speaking, and more images appeared of people being handcuffed and put in prison transports, but Vincent wasn¡¯t watching anymore. He was lost in memories. It hadn¡¯t been peaceful, or heroic, it had been a slaughter. There was fire everywhere¡­and blood. He remembered the lifeless staring eyes of people who had lovingly raised him since birth. He remembered his mother pulling him through a long hallway as the ceiling collapsed above them. He remembered being pinned under wreckage for hours, terrified, his mother whispering in his ear as she died. Vincent was hyperventilating, and he struggled to get a hold of himself as anxiety threatened to overwhelm him. It was at that moment that an alarm began blaring, and the Instructor halted his lesson in surprise. ATTENTION, ALL STUDENTS MUST RETURN TO THEIR DORMS IMMEDIATELY. ACTIVE GUARD PATROLS ARE IN EFFECT, ANY STUDENTS CAUGHT OUTSIDE IN FIFTEEN MINUTES WILL BE RESTRAINED INDEFINITELY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Vincent¡¯s heart was already racing, and the announcement did nothing to calm him. ¡°Well students, you heard the announcement. Quickly now, off you go. No time to linger!¡± Callum sounded oddly calm, but the students were near-panic immediately. They all raced to the exit, and most ran for the dorms as fast as they could. Vincent tried to be more rational, knowing his own room wasn¡¯t far, and still desperately trying to calm his mind and body. Looking around outside, he didn¡¯t see the cause of whatever had triggered the alarm, but only moments later he heard gunshots ring out. Vincent started to run. He didn¡¯t stop running until he was safely inside his dorm, throwing the door closed behind him. The sounds were too similar to that horrible day, and he was still lost in those memories. He didn¡¯t bother turning on his lights, just stumbled into the corner next to his bed, and pulled a blanket over top of him. Time passed like that, but Vincent wasn¡¯t really aware. There was only his breathing, and visions of the day that the NGG had come for them. At one point he vaguely recognized the sounds of another announcement, but he didn¡¯t understand the words. He didn¡¯t come back to himself until he felt Lucia¡¯s hand resting gently on his arm. When he looked up at her it appeared she¡¯d been sitting with him for some time, and he shakily disentangled himself from the blanket, checking his KD for the time. It was after sunset. ¡°It was Annissa,¡± Lucia said softly. ¡°The girl that Ironfist used to toy with Gary,¡± Vincent recalled the sounds of a huge gauntlet striking her face. ¡°She tried to escape. Ran right through the front gate, in broad daylight.¡± Her voice grew softer, ¡°She¡¯s dead. They shot her.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t speak, his mind still foggy and his body shaking slightly. Lucia watched him for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you keep doing this to yourself. It isn¡¯t worth it. She isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Vincent said, but his voice was weak. ¡°I know better than you do. You were only five when it happened; you barely knew our mother. I¡¯m two years older, I remember who she really was,¡± her anger was starting to come through. ¡°She believed it all. Every last piece of nonsense that the Cult was peddling. There was nothing she wouldn¡¯t have done for their stupid dream.¡± Vincent stood up as fast as his body would allow, glaring at his sister. ¡°I know what she believed, and you hating her doesn¡¯t make it any less true.¡± He could feel his anxiety rising again, but this time it was tempered by rage. Lucia stood up to face him, pity on her face. ¡°When are you going to grow up, Vincenzo? When are you going to start thinking for yourself? Are you even capable of it?¡± ¡°I make my own decisions Lucia, if you weren¡¯t so busy giving up and drowning in your own self-pity, you¡¯d see that. Or did you forget that I chose to save you!?¡± There was a long, terrible pause, as she stared into his eyes. Mist, mist, mist, he thought furiously. ¡°Did you really choose? Are you absolutely sure?¡± she asked in a quiet voice, and Vincent pushed past her, heading for the door. He had only taken a few steps when his KD beeped, and he looked down at it in confusion. He was certain it was muted. He opened up the message he¡¯d received, confusion turning to shock as he read it. I know what you¡¯re doing. I know you¡¯re planning to escape. Chapter 7: Unbalanced I know the horrors that await us. Vincent was frozen in place, staring at the message that might mean the imminent executions of himself, his sister, and his closest friend. Lucia noticed that he¡¯d stopped in the middle of storming out of the room, and she came forward to see what he was looking at. ¡°I have to go,¡± he said, completing his exit as quickly as possible. His thoughts were still scrambled, and he couldn¡¯t remember the last time his emotions had been this out of control; it wasn¡¯t the time to be around a Psychic who thought it was her job to meddle with his life. Vincent raced outside into the darkness, only belatedly considering that there might still be some restrictions on student movement. He decided to take his chances; Lucia had clearly walked here from the girl¡¯s dormitory, so he was at least unlikely to be shot. It was pouring rain, and the coolness of the water was some relief. He¡¯d felt like his whole body was on fire from the endless stress of the day. Once again he glanced down at his K-Device, checking the time. It was a little after eight, and he found he needed to concentrate to remember the guard patrols. After a few moments he started walking, with no real destination in mind, simply weaving his way through the gaps in the routes he¡¯d memorized. Vincent¡¯s heart was still beating faster than it should, and his mind was a warzone for memories and images battling for his attention. He saw his mother¡¯s face in the photo from class, then what she¡¯d looked like crushed beneath debris in their old home. He saw Annissa as he¡¯d known her from class, shy and a little scared, then he remembered the sound of gunshots earlier in the day, and he had to shake his head to clear it. Finally the message on his KD played out again and again: I know what you¡¯re doing. I know you¡¯re planning to escape. Vincent needed to think. To plan, to react, but his thoughts were too scattered. He found himself near the North wall without realizing it, and considered Clint¡¯s shed. Trying not to make much noise, he walked through puddles, ducking under building overhangs where he could, and finally reached the last building before the compound gave way to grass and plant life. He found some bushes that he¡¯d hidden from patrols in before, and ducked behind them, staring at the shed. He¡¯d already known he wouldn¡¯t go in. Even if Clint had been the one to send the message, there was little that Vincent would be able to do. The man could kill him effortlessly if he entered the tech-ridden shed that was entirely Clint¡¯s domain. But more importantly, it just didn¡¯t fit. Even if Clint had figured out what they were planning¨Cwhich Vincent considered unlikely¨Cthe man should just blackmail him for more Gamma. There was no benefit to sending cryptic messages, or warning Vincent that he knew anything at all. Besides, Vincent still knew his secret, and could expose him at any time. Finally he stood up and moved away from the Shed. He glanced at the time again, and updated his routes based on where the patrols would be by now. He should be able to make it back to the dorm, but what then? He couldn¡¯t solve the mysterious message tonight, but he needed to do something. Vincent considered the patrols once again, and realized there was a way to feel like he¡¯d accomplished something with this self-indulgent walk in the rain. He quietly stalked his way over to the West end of the compound, where students seldom traveled. Thankfully the guards who weren¡¯t actively patrolling tended to stay inside when it was raining, and this particular facility had little external security anyway. Operation Daylight required that he, or one of the others managed to get inside sometime soon, and he hadn¡¯t been able to gauge the level of challenge that represented. The building was even more bunker-like than most, and he¡¯d heard the top floor was barely used, with the underground levels being more secure. Seeing no one, he quietly made his way around the building, staying out of sight of the visible cameras, and hiding his face in case there were others he couldn¡¯t see. At last he found a second entrance, a door in the side of the building that was likely meant for deliveries. It was no less secure, but at least anyone walking down the nearby path to central campus wouldn¡¯t be able to look right at it. Vincent saw a camera focused directly on the door, and Vincent hugged the wall until he was underneath it. This would be a problem, as no one could enter without being seen by internal security, but there were ways around that. What he was more concerned about was getting through the door, and that meant he needed to see the kinds of locks they would have to bypass. Now that he was this close, he wasn¡¯t really surprised. The door had the passkey requirements common to the Farm, but like most of the high-security areas, it also had a hand scanner that would make things particularly difficult. Vincent leaned back against the small steps that led up to the door, just feeling the rain fall on him. Abruptly the door opened, and he backed as far into the corner between the wall and the concrete stoop as he could. A guard took a single step outside, then swore loudly. ¡°God damned rain, I just want a few minutes to smoke a cigarette and I have to deal with this shit.¡± Vincent heard the sound of a lighter failing to ignite several times, and struggled to keep his ragged breathing quiet. The door had opened away from him, and the guard just needed to lean over to see him hiding there¨Cor try to use the side of the building as a windbreak to light his cigarette. ¡°Malary can rot in hell. ¡®No sir, I have no idea what that smell is. You think someone was smoking inside? Disgusting¡¯. Everyone hates you, man.¡± There was some awkward shuffling as the guard stepped back inside, but held the door open as he successfully lit his cigarette. After a moment Vincent saw a huge cloud of smoke blow out above him, and disappear into the rain. The guard released a comically satisfied groan, then continued smoking. Vincent didn¡¯t stop to think things through, just gave in to the desperate need to retreat. He made a quick glance back and could see the man¡¯s foot propped against the door. He also noted with some interest that there was only a single door handle on the inside. Apparently getting out was more forgiving than getting in; that was surprising given the building¡¯s purpose. He wasted no more time, crawling along the wall as quietly as he could, then disappearing around the back. He stopped as soon as he got there, then peaked back around the corner to ensure he hadn¡¯t been seen. There was just another cloud of smoke rising, the guard apparently remaining ignorant. Vincent breathed a sigh of relief, but his body seemed unwilling to let go of the stress. Instead he felt even worse than he had before: his anxiety was like a physical presence in his chest, and his lungs refused to allow a deep breath. It was time to get back to his dorms. He glanced down at his mud-covered clothes. He needed to change these as quickly as possible at the very least. Again he checked the time and was irritated to see that he¡¯d need to take a complex route back, nearly retracing his steps to the shed just to get back without running into the guards. Frustrated as he was, there weren¡¯t any other options, so he just started moving. The memories were still right behind his eyes, and it seemed like the harder he tried to banish them, the more powerfully they held on. It didn¡¯t help that his relationships with both members of his small crew were strained right now, and he knew he needed their help. Soon the path to the shed was almost upon him, and he cut back the way he¡¯d come the day before, trusting that punctual Malary would be long past this section of his patrol by now. Vincent was considering how to get Danny and Lucia focused back on the mission, when he thought he heard distant splashing. He flattened himself against the nearest building, willing himself to be as small as possible as his eyes darted from side to side, examining every corner and shadow. He didn¡¯t see anything, and after a moment he moved away from his laughable hiding spot with trepidation, listening for the sounds of anything outside the ordinary amidst the constant rain. It was another few minutes before he heard anything else out of the ordinary, and this time he didn¡¯t recognize the odd sound. He ducked into an alleyway, looking back around the corner in search of anyone who may be following him. He saw nothing. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. It just didn¡¯t make sense. Was his own paranoia getting to him? He slicked his wet black hair back and out of his eyes, still searching for the cause of the strange sound. Again, nothing, and again he felt frustration as he couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. If it was the guards, why wouldn¡¯t they reveal themselves? If he wasn¡¯t hearing things, then what was the second, strange sound he couldn¡¯t place? A moment later he heard it again, and his stomach dropped. The sound had come from above him, and could only be a person walking on top of the building he was currently leaning against. Vincent was considering whether it was best to run or hide when the decision was taken away from him. The sounds of footsteps came once more, then before he could react someone dropped off the roof to land in front of him, facing away. Vincent glanced around for any kind of escape plan, then crouched down when nothing better than a foot race presented itself. The dark figure slowly turned around, presenting the unfortunately familiar face of Gary Sawatzki. Vincent¡¯s exhausted and overworked mind scrambled, but he couldn¡¯t make sense of what was going on. The older student should be in the medical building for days, maybe weeks after what Ironfist had done to him. Instead, he stood above Vincent, glaring down at him, without an injury in sight. Gary smiled wickedly, which revealed a few missing teeth, the only sign that he¡¯d been in a fight at all. His blonde hair was wet with rain, and his school uniform was unbuttoned halfway, but otherwise he actually looked far more presentable than Vincent himself. ¡°You have no idea how happy I am to see you,¡± Gary said in a menacing voice. ¡°I kept asking myself, what the hell was that rat doing out here anyway? There¡¯s nothing for you here, there¡¯s nothing for anyone! That¡¯s why it¡¯s such a nice place to have my fun.¡± ¡°It¡­it was coincidence,¡± Vincent said weakly, hating himself for being caught so off guard. ¡°I was just out for a walk and heard some scared kids¡­¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Out for another walk, are you? Lucky me. I hoped I might see you again tonight, I didn¡¯t think it was likely, but whether it was you or Malary, I knew I¡¯d have a good time.¡± Vincent struggled to understand what was happening. Why would Gary want to run into the Guard Captain again? Was he starting to enjoy punishment after having taken so much in front of an audience today? But then why would he want to see Vincent, and why were his injuries gone¡­ The answer hit only a moment before Gary did, the blow cracking into the side of Vincent¡¯s face. The force of it was incredible, and he was shocked that his cheekbone hadn¡¯t shattered. His already foggy mind almost shut off completely, but the cold of the rain kept him lucid. Gary lifted him with one hand, until his feet were dangling in the open air. ¡°Don¡¯t pass out yet, Villari, it¡¯s not easy to hold back when you¡¯re as strong as I am now, and I want you awake for this.¡± Vincent spit out some blood, his eyes barely focusing. ¡°You¡­you Manifested, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gary laughed loudly at that, clearly not caring if anyone heard. ¡°Figured it out all by yourself, did you? To think that metal idiot actually did me a favor. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever stop hitting me, but after a while the pain was just gone. I thought I was dead, but look at me now!¡± He threw Vincent into the opposite building, producing a sickening thud. ¡°I got to relax and let those morons pump me with more and more Gamma, trying to save me, do you believe that? I guess all the blood hid the fact that I¡¯ve never felt better in my life!¡± He leaned forward, and pulled Vincent up his hair. Taking his only shot, Vincent crushed the mud he¡¯d been holding into Gary¡¯s eyes, and the bully roared with rage. Vincent hit the ground, and found he could barely move as he started scrambling away. He¡¯d only gone a half-dozen paces before he felt a hand grip his ankle, and he was swung by the leg to slam back against the wall, collapsing into a heap once more. ¡°Dirt in my eyes? That¡¯s the master plan of the great Vincent Villari? You¡¯ve been walking around this campus like you¡¯re better than us for years, like you¡¯re the smartest person alive, and that¡¯s all you have?¡± He drove a kick into Vincent¡¯s side, and he felt the rib¨Cso recently injured by berserker Bob¨Csnap. ¡°Pathetic!¡± Gary screamed at him, then picked him up in both hands, pushing him up against the wall. ¡°Or are you waiting for someone to rescue you again, coward? Are you hoping the big bad guards will appear out of nowhere to save your miserable life?¡± Sadly he wasn¡¯t. Vincent had chosen this route because he knew there wouldn¡¯t be any guards at this time of night. He really didn¡¯t have a plan. A huge fist hammered into his stomach, and Gary tossed him aside, leaving him to vomit onto the wet ground. ¡°I was hoping to enjoy this, Vallari! You¡¯re letting me down!¡± He unleashed another kick. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to kill that miserable asshole from this morning, he¡¯s long gone. That leaves you, Villari. You were my first thought when my powers came, you know that?¡± He leaned down, gripping Vincent by the hair once more. ¡°First thought. Messing up your smug face. You should be honored,¡± Gary unleashed a brutal slap to the opposite side he¡¯d been hit before, and Vincent felt a tooth loosen. ¡°But now, just look at you. You know I actually bothered with a plan for this?¡± He tossed Vincent against a wall again, and his legs collapsed under him. Think, think, think, he begged his cloudy mind. ¡°What an absolute waste! Stalking you on the rooftops for god¡¯s sake? I figured you¡¯d have a hidden weapon, guards on your payroll, anything!¡± he was pacing now, looking genuinely disgusted. ¡°But look at you, you¡¯re just another dead kid on the Farm. I¡¯m embarrassed for you. I¡¯m embarrassed for me! What kind of first kill are you supposed to be? Just some runt-prick.¡± He picked Vincent up by the throat, holding him off the ground. ¡°Just pathetic,¡± the large man said again, then he began to squeeze. Vincent¡¯s vision immediately started to cloud. He¡¯d already been winded and weak, and his broken rib felt like it was stabbing him from the inside. His hands impotently reached up to grip Gary¡¯s, but he may as well have been fighting solid steel. As he felt his own life slowly slipping away, the memories he¡¯d been fighting came back stronger than ever. He was five years old again, pinned beneath wreckage and staring at his mother as she faded. It felt like the full weight of the collapsed building was pressing down on his chest, and the pressure was mounting. His mind flashed back and forth between the past and the present. He was a child, waiting to die, surrounded by fire. He was a young man, knowing he was going to die, drenched in rain. He was watching a Beta addict coming toward him and his mother, ragged clothes hanging from his filthy body. He was staring into the pitiless eyes of a bully named Gary. He had no air left, and the world was going dark. His chest was ready to burst. With pain, with anxiety, with desperation, with¡­something else? All at once that pressure seemed to explode through him, and a single stray thought managed to push its way through the haze and terror that consumed his mind. I¡¯m unbalanced. Without knowing why, he let go of Gary¡¯s wrist and gripped the larger student¡¯s face, slick with rain. Gary seemed irritated, then surprised, when Vincent actually managed to force his head backward, if only a little. Vincent kept pushing, still not understanding what he was doing. The feeling inside him, like a nuclear reactor, pulsed and throbbed, and without understanding how, Vincent pushed that force forward, and felt his arms vibrate as he gripped Gary¡¯s face even harder. He still couldn¡¯t draw breath, but the reactor inside him seemed not to need it, and Vincent raged against his opponent with a power he¡¯d never experienced. In the dark, with the rain pouring down, he almost didn¡¯t notice the soft green glow emanating from his right hand; he just kept pushing. Gary¡¯s head bent back a little farther, but he was vastly stronger, and made uncomfortable at best by the effort. ¡°What¡­what are you¡­doing¡­to me?¡± the bully groaned, and Vincent had no answer. He just kept pushing, and at last it was like the resistance faded away. His hands were still pressed against Gary¡¯s face, and had moved no farther, but the grip on Vincent¡¯s neck relaxed slightly. Gary was spasming now beneath his grip, and blood was dripping from his nose, barely visible in the rain. Vincent didn¡¯t stop pushing, the deafening need to continue was all-consuming; the power wanted out. The green glow was intensifying on his right arm, and finally both combatants collapsed to the ground, Gary supported only by Vincent, who balanced on one knee. From his new angle above his attacker, it finally made sense, as Vincent could see a perfect copy of his own right hand emerging from the back of Gary¡¯s head. It was translucent, like that of a specter, and the same shade of green as the glow on his arm¡­as the radiation from the Watcher¡­as Legacy¡¯s power. Strangely there was no blood on the hand, and Vincent realized he hadn¡¯t done any visible damage at all as the strange ghostly appendage passed through the bully¡¯s head. It had just done something to him on the inside, judging by the blood that Vincent could see slowly dripping from Gary¡¯s nose, ears, and even his vacant eyes. At last Vincent managed to relax slightly, and the green arm simply faded away. He leaned back against the nearby wall, exhaustion threatening to overtake him. He looked upward at the dark sky, letting the rain wash away the feeling of the hand that had gripped his throat. He¡¯d done it; he¡¯d Manifested. He was a super, now. Everything had just gotten a lot more complicated. Chapter 8: Restricted Class The Great Hero betrayed humanity. Vincent let more time pass than he meant to, just standing in the rain. The day had truly been too much, and he understood that his mind and body needed rest or he was likely to crash in a dangerous way. Maybe he already had. Thankfully the rush of power and adrenaline that came from Manifesting was keeping him on his feet, and allowing his thoughts to stay focused enough to ask the important questions. Knowing he was burning time, Vincent knelt next to Gary and checked his pulse. He was alive. Vincent didn¡¯t really know how to feel about that, and it led to a difficult conundrum¡­could he afford to leave his attacker alive? Vincent had never wanted to be a killer, but he¡¯d be lying to himself if he claimed he hadn¡¯t expected it to be necessary some day. This world didn¡¯t let Adepts have easy lives, and he¡¯d chosen a path that would make his own much harder. But this was never how he¡¯d imagined the situation would arise. A dark, wet alley, someone who¨Colder than him or not¨Cwas basically just a kid, and one that Lucia would be quick to argue was a victim as much as anyone. It would be one thing if Vincent¡¯s newly emerged powers had simply ended Gary¡¯s life mid-fight, it was quite another to have to execute someone completely helpless. Still, he risked more lives than just his own, here. Was there any chance at all that Gary had sent the message? Vincent discarded the thought immediately. Still, at the very least the bully had seen him Manifest, and even if he hadn¡¯t, if Vincent was accused of trying to kill him, Operation Daylight was over. Vincent punched the wet ground, his anger needing some kind of outlet. His mind was made up: this had to be done, and he¡¯d deal with the consequences later. Leaning forward, he covered Gary¡¯s mouth and nose, preventing him from drawing a breath. His would-be killer made no reaction to being unable to breathe, and his eyes kept staring up blankly. Vincent¡¯s emotions were a chaotic mess, and part of him kept chanting stop, stop, stop, while another soberly intoned, this has to be done. Only a few moments had passed, however, before he heard the sounds. Splashing, feet on cobblestone, maybe voices. Vincent let go immediately, and part of him was glad for the excuse. He tried to think back to the fight, and quickly realized that Gary had made no effort to keep their confrontation quiet. There was almost no time to think, and Vincent strained to picture the guard patrols in his head. Which would have been close enough to hear? What direction would they be coming from? They might have called in another squad to help¡­think, think, think. Without his usual confidence, Vincent tore off to the East, away from the center of campus. He did his best to disguise his own footsteps, hoping the much larger guards wouldn¡¯t hear him over their own splashing advance. Vincent passed a few more bland, concrete buildings, desperately hoping he was remembering the positions of the cameras in this area correctly, and at last he reached the open area between the compound and the wall. Whether it was luck or providence, he managed to avoid any patrols on the way, but as soon the cover of the buildings left him behind, he saw the massive spotlights of the nearby watchtowers sweep in his direction. Packing, he sprinted away as quickly as he could, trying to be as far from the site of the attack as possible. Several times he had to duck back between the buildings to allow a searchlight to pass him by, but he couldn¡¯t slow down for long. It could only be a student involved in the attack, and anyone could figure out where a student would retreat: the dorms. He needed to find a safe place to stay for the night, and there weren¡¯t many options¨Ccertainly no comfortable ones. He could feel the patrols right behind him, and several times he heard shouting and barked orders above the constant fall of the rain. At last he came to the only option that made sense¨CEast Training Yard. It was the oldest of the facilities made for Adepts, and it had one feature that made it special. It was largely an open area, created in a corner between two other structures, one for storage, and another for repairing campus vehicles. Vincent felt his feet dig into the sandy floor as he awkwardly stumbled across the yard, dodging around countless weights and machines as he made his way to the corner where the two buildings met. At last he slowed to a halt at the indistinct black mass he¡¯d been looking for, and started feeling his way around. This was what he needed, a relic from when the Farms had actually tried to train Adepts after they Manifested. These were weights too heavy for anyone on campus to move; berserker Bob would have struggled to even shift them. Vincent had taken note, however, that they were stacked at an angle against the wall, leaving a small space underneath. It had also become a place to toss smaller weights people didn¡¯t want to bother storing, so he only had to find¨Cthere! He pried away a few smaller loose plates, and scrambled inside the gap, feet first. Pulling the plates back into place left him alone in a tiny coffin, and his relief turned to panic almost immediately. Vincent didn¡¯t like to think about his claustrophobia, as he couldn¡¯t do so without remembering where it had come from, and he¡¯d thought about the night his mother died more than enough for one night. To control his breathing and push his mind away from the memories, he pulled out his K-Device. It was relatively dry under the enormous slabs, and he could easily see the screen¨Cthough he turned his body to make sure to block any light from leaking outside. K-Tech Device rebooting¡­ Starting in [Initiate] mode¡­ Pairing with Harness¡­ Evaluating¡­ Attention: restricted class detected! Querying Credentials with Network¡­Admin access approved! Attention: unable to upload user-data to NGG registration! Populating interface¡­ Name: Vincent Villari Class: Specter [Restricted] Rank: Initiate 1 [Recently Manifested] Primary Attribute: Intellect Unlocked Abilities: Phantasm Physicality: Mind: Vincent read and reread the interface, letting his curiosity and fascination slowly push aside his anxiety and fear. Thunder and the occasional lightning strike had joined the downpour, and he hadn¡¯t heard any guards for some time, but the attack had been less than an hour earlier, and still weighed heavily on him. He thought that his broken rib was nearly healed by the burst of energy that accompanied his Manifestation, but the pain was getting worse as his adrenaline faded. He also imagined his own burst of energy couldn¡¯t compare to someone like Gary, who not only took his Gamma doses, but tried to drown himself with as much as possible. Vincent had never put much thought into how he¡¯d cultivate his strength after manifesting. ¡®Stay balanced¡¯ was a mantra meant for an early Adept, in order to avoid growing addicted to Gamma and getting stuck with a common, strength based class¨Can almost guaranteed ticket to the army. But now he was in uncharted territory, with a class he¡¯d never even heard of. ¡°Specter¡­¡± he whispered, needing to hear the name out loud, wanting to make it his own. When he¡¯d seen that he had access to a restricted database, he¡¯d assumed he¡¯d be able to dive deeper into class abilities, and maybe get into parts of the Network that civilians couldn¡¯t. But if the truth was that there was an entire database of Classes that Adepts weren¡¯t even supposed to know about¡­Veridicus¡¯ broadcasts had even more power than he thought. Vincent put those thoughts aside for a moment, not able to hold his own curiosity back. He selected his first ability, ¡®Phantasm¡¯. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ability: Phantasm Rank: Initiate 1 Mastery: Effects of Mastery unknown. Description: The Specter is able to extend their will beyond their physical body. This ¡®Phantasm¡¯ is capable of passing through solid objects, disrupting the molecules of said objects, and uses the Specter¡¯s intellect to determine its strength. Once again Vincent found himself reading the description a number of times. ¡®Disrupting molecules¡¯ was a particularly disturbing piece of information. Although the Farm¡¯s educational standards were laughable, they did have several libraries, and Vincent had studied everything he possibly could, having little else to do before now. He had a reasonable understanding of physics and chemistry, but that only left him more confused by the description, as ¡®disrupt¡¯ was hardly a scientific term. The fact that ¡®effects of mastery¡¯ were unknown led him to a curious conclusion¨Ceven the mysterious restricted database didn¡¯t seem to have much information on his class. There were a number of things that could mean. It might just be that this particular ability was poorly documented¨Cthere were a number of potential skills for each class, and if there was a deterministic factor for the order they unlocked, it wasn¡¯t common knowledge. Maybe no one had used it before? There were other possibilities, of course. Even the restricted database might not be everything the NGG had on file¡­or maybe no one else had this class. While that appealed to his ego in an embarrassing way, the practical effect was actually very inconvenient. Whatever he was capable of, he¡¯d be figuring it out all on his own. *** Vincent was shocked to realize he¡¯d fallen asleep, only waking up when his KD began vibrating his alarm from where he¡¯d dropped it on his chest. Apparently exhaustion could overcome fear and anxiety if it was strong enough. He looked and saw that it was 6 am, his normal wake up time. He was incredibly relieved to find that his mind felt fairly clear, with yesterday¡¯s madness feeling more like a dream than a debilitating reality. For better or worse, he had a lifetime of repressing painful memories to help him get through moments like this, and he immediately began planning his next move. Thankfully it was still raining, and after checking to make sure he was alone, he dragged his weary body out of the oppressive hiding spot he¡¯d used as a bed, and let the rain wash the mud from his filthy hair and clothes. Unfortunately the dim sunlight revealed that his shirt had a great deal of blood on it, and he was forced to bury it under some sand beneath the leaning weights. Now he was shirtless, and drenched, and his many bruises and injuries were on full display, though thankfully berserker Bob had made sure those wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention. Still, he would have to travel half the campus shirtless in the rain. He began jogging toward the dorms, which wasn¡¯t entirely unusual for him; a number of students ran in the mornings. They didn¡¯t normally do it shirtless, or in the rain, but while Danny might say he looked like a ¡®douchebag, showoff¡¯¨Can exact quote he¡¯d heard from his friend¨CVincent at least wouldn¡¯t be immediately recognizable as a newly Manifested attempted murderer. He did his best to appear unhurried, and was pleasantly surprised to actually see a few other jogging students¨Cthough they all had shirts. Still, he arrived at the dorms without drawing too many looks, and quickly retreated to his room. It was empty, as he expected, and he hastily gathered some fresh clothes. Next he picked his KD back up and hammered out a quick message to Danny and Lucia. Part of him desperately wanted to tell them everything that had happened, but his clearer mind was far more concerned with their safety. I need a few days to myself. I¡¯m angry and I need to think about mom. He had to grit his teeth to even write the message, but he was sure the other two knew him well enough to understand he would never openly say something like that unless it meant something else. Right now he had no idea who had messaged him claiming to know his plans, or whether his messages were hacked, but he wouldn¡¯t risk his crew. That taken care of, he hurriedly went to the showers, and scrubbed his remaining clothes at the same time, just in case he¡¯d missed any blood. He also managed to inspect himself in the mirror when he was alone for a few minutes, ensuring his Manifestation hadn¡¯t made any physical changes. Same black hair, same mismatched eye color, same pale skin from his mother¡¯s side. He did look slightly more muscular, but thankfully he didn¡¯t do enough ¡®douchey¡¯ shirtless jogs for anyone to be able to tell the difference. His injuries weren¡¯t too alarming either, save for a bruise covering almost his entire side where his rib had rapidly broken then healed. Satisfied, he hurried to the cafeteria to grab some food. He planned to grab it quickly and eat in his next class, as he didn¡¯t want to risk crossing paths with his sister or Danny. He did spot them talking to one another in a corner, but refused to make eye contact, and grabbed as much food as he could without looking suspicious, and hurried off. He couldn¡¯t help himself and started eating as he walked toward Invader Studies. He was starving, likely from the transformation and rapid healing. He¡¯d heard that higher ranked supers could metabolize the Alpha radiation that had permeated the atmosphere, but for now he needed calories the old fashioned way. Vincent felt slightly nervous when he passed a number of huddled groups of students on his way to class, and he had to keep reminding himself that there was an enormous amount of gossip to go around right now. After what he¡¯d gone through, Annissa¡¯s death and Legacy¡¯s visit seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had only been yesterday. He was still relieved to take his place in the back of the Invader Studies classroom, stuffing his face as the rest of his classmates slowly shambled in. Instructor Cassidy was a few minutes late which was normal; she often remarked that she wasn¡¯t a morning person. Vincent genuinely enjoyed this class, however, as the Invaders were a fascinating subject, and a compelling mystery. Instructor Cassidy leaned against the board for a long moment, luxuriating in her coffee. She was a brown skinned woman with short hair and glasses, and she was relatively young compared to the rest of the faculty. ¡°Good morning, class. You know the drill. I hate talking this early, so the veterans get to educate the newbies.¡± She blearily looked around the class, at last locking her eyes on a redheaded student near the front. ¡°Mr. Edwards, tell the class why the invaders are interesting.¡± The boy looked uncomfortable, likely due to the vague nature of the question¨Cit sounded like a test. ¡°Um¡­a bunch of reasons?¡± he began, and Instructor Cassidy looked at him in disapproval over the rim of her coffee while she sipped. He scrambled for a better answer, ¡°They¡­invaded Earth, to put on a weird gladiator tournament?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she nearly shouted between sips. She pointed to the next student in the row, ¡°Why was it weird?¡± The tall dark haired girl seemed better prepared. This wasn¡¯t an unusual occurrence in this class, and was part of the reason Vincent sat in the back. ¡°They didn¡¯t speak our language, but somehow managed to explain the tournament to the participants, then broadcast it around the world.¡± Cassidy was making a ¡®keep going¡¯ gesture from behind her coffee. ¡°Well, if the participants understood correctly,¡± Cassidy looked particularly happy at the word ¡®if¡¯, ¡°then the tournament was a chance to defeat the invaders without them actually coming down to the planet.¡± ¡°Correct!¡± the instructor said happily. ¡°There¡¯s still some debate as to whether we truly understood the stakes, as every participant other than the Great Hero was killed, or exploded from Alpha exposure. And how did the tournament go¡­Miss Allen?¡± A blonde girl in the middle row answered hesitantly, ¡°Uh, most of them were killed or exploded, like you said?¡± The instructor just waited patiently, ¡°Except for the Great Hero, of course. He¡­ well he beat a lot of them, but then¡­¡± Vincent understood her hesitance. This was a taboo subject. ¡°The Emperor blasted a hole right through his chest!¡± Instructor Cassidy finished, the coffee obviously kicking in. ¡°The attack was apparently so strong that it launched the Great Hero all the way back to earth from the Watcher, where he spent years underground healing. When he finally emerged, the world had been conquered!¡± She turned back to the board and with a command a map appeared. ¡°Let¡¯s chart the route he took in taking back the planet¡­¡± Vincent tuned out at this point. The Great Hero¡¯s journey was a story he¡¯d heard enough times. It was one of the few things about the invasion the man had been willing to talk about. He had to choose targets for nearly a decade, leaving entire countries¨Ccontinents even, suffering at the hands of the invaders while he systematically eliminated them kingdom by kingdom. Vincent let his mind wander to the numerous issues weighing on him. What he really wanted to be doing was exploring his new abilities, but it was far too dangerous right now. Instead he thought of the message, of the facility he needed to break into, and of the state of his small crew. His attention was pulled back to the present when class was nearly over. ¡°...which takes us to the question of what was left behind. We¡¯ve all seen¨Cwhether in person or in pictures¨Cthe structures of the invaders. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing they left behind!¡± Vincent leaned forward. He knew a bit about invader artifacts, but every time Instructor Cassidy brought them up he hoped to learn something new. She pulled up an image of a small piece of the Invader tech. It was a combination of stone, strange looking circuits, and invader writing that glowed with an internal light. ¡°This is an Invader artifact. While many of the invaders were capable of vast feats of power, much like our own supers, others somehow utilized these artifacts for a vast array of strange effects. No one has been able to activate these unusual pieces of technology, not even Tecnico or his Tech Knights!¡± She turned and gazed at the image, shaking her head with wonder. ¡°What mysteries are contained in these mysterious devices?¡± she said, as if to herself, then turned back to the class. ¡°Well! Maybe the answer is out there! More are discovered every day, especially in sites of old battles. Perhaps they even hold the key to visiting the asteroid ourselves some day!¡± She looked down at her watch. ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll call it here; it¡¯s nearly time for the Pledge. Off you go, don¡¯t be late!¡± Vincent gathered his things, and threw out the trash from his small feast. He joined the mass of students slowly filtering out the door, where he overheard an exchange. ¡°Did you hear what happened last night?¡± Edwards said, and Vincent had to concentrate to keep his face neutral. They¡¯re just talking about Annissa, he assured himself. It¡¯s okay. No one knows you Manifested, no one knows about Gary. We¡¯re getting out of this place. ¡°You mean that girl making a run for it?¡± a male student replied. ¡°No, everyone¡¯s heard about that by now. I mean the Gamma stores. Someone broke in!¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes widened, and several other students turned around, trying to hear. ¡°It¡¯s true! They¡¯re trying to keep it quiet, but my buddy Randy was near the stores this morning. Not only were there way more guards there than usual, but he heard them talking about it too.¡± ¡°Who would be crazy enough to steal Gamma?¡± asked another student. ¡°I mean, now that berserker Bob is gone, that is.¡± A few students laughed. ¡°Who knows?¡± Edwards replied. ¡°But they¡¯re gonna get found out for sure.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± a girl asked. ¡°Simple, Randy heard them: they¡¯re bringing in the pet Psychics,¡± Edwards replied, and Vincent¡¯s world fell apart. Chapter 9: Psychics We have to destroy it. Vincent didn¡¯t even hear the Pledge. He stared straight ahead, and absently mouthed sounds when the rest of the students started repeating their part. He¡¯d heard no fewer than five groups discussing the pending arrival of the NGG¡¯s domesticated Psychics before the Pledge started, and any hope that it was merely a rumor had faded away. Vincent was trying to approach the problem from every possible angle, but running into continuous deadends. There wasn¡¯t enough time to teach the other members of his crew how to disguise their thoughts, and if he was being honest, he couldn¡¯t be certain it would work even for himself. They could try to get off campus, but even if they somehow managed to get all of them on harvester duty¨Cwhich seemed impossible to do quickly¨Che had to assume that they¡¯d still be screened by the Psychics before or after. They could hope that the thief was uncovered by the Psychics before anyone on the crew was read, but that was leaving everything to chance, and there was no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t screen everyone regardless. In fact that was almost a certainty. Completing the entire escape plan before the Psychics arrived was probably not even worth considering. He hadn¡¯t heard when they¡¯d be here, but it had to be soon¨Closing any amount of Gamma would be an embarrassment for the Dean, and if they lost a significant quantity it could compromise the entire facility. That really left only one option: they had to find the stolen Gamma themselves. At last the Pledge was over, and Vincent realized that Danny hadn¡¯t been present. He wasn¡¯t surprised that his friend wasn¡¯t in his normal spot beside him, given that he¡¯d just asked for space, but as he watched the students clear out, there was no sign of the taller student at all. Vincent was surprised, but decided it was a question for another time. He decided to skip lunch to head directly to his next classes: math followed by science. They were some of the only traditional education the students received, even if they were basic level and served a wide age range. Vincent wasn¡¯t going to learn, however, he was going to listen to the next Veridicus broadcast. He set himself up near the back of the empty classroom, which stood out from the other plain lecture halls by virtue of having even minimal decorations. Letters, math tables, maps, and more covered the walls, and it almost felt like the outside world. Almost. Vincent quickly identified the stream that Veridicus was using to broadcast his video this week¨Cit kept changing as the Network locked him out, but there were always new accounts, and endless social media channels. The show was about to begin, and Vincent double checked that he was alone before watching. The video resolved into the familiar desk in front of the graffiti covered backdrop, and only a moment later Veridicus sat down, the red X over his face centered perfectly in the shot. ¡°Greetings, fellow seekers of truth, and deniers of the falsehoods of the hated New Global Government!¡± he began as always. ¡°Let us begin with the Pledge of Anarchy! ¡°Don¡¯t believe their lies! They¡¯re always watching us! The NGG is not what they pretend to be! They deny us true power! They deny us true freedom! We will rebel! We will be balanced! We will not partake of the forbidden Gamma! We know they are among us!¡± Vincent waited patiently, doubting the man¡¯s methods as always¨Ceven if he couldn¡¯t deny the results. Veridicus recapped several points from previous broadcasts, then ranted for a while on the many ways the NGG made day to day life miserable in the outside world. Vincent had to mute the broadcast when other students began shuffling in, and he angled his device toward a wall so it wouldn¡¯t be seen. He wasn¡¯t as trusting as Emi Sato, and being caught watching pirated broadcasts would draw far too much attention at the worst possible time. At last Veridicus moved on to new information, and Vincent perked up in his chair. ¡°We have some juicy truths for you today, faithful viewers. More secrets the NGG fascists would rather you never knew! ¡°First of all, our ongoing storm watch! Radstorms continue to rage across large patches of North America, West Africa, and Europe. East Asia is currently unusually free of storms¨Cgiven that the Watcher is right overhead¨Cbut my contacts report that even the usually quiet NGG are warning citizens to brace for a storm the likes of which have never been seen!¡± Vincent considered this. If the man¡¯s reports were accurate, the intensity and frequency of the storms were increasing sharply, which meant the level of Alpha particles in the atmosphere would be increasing as well¡­right on time. ¡°But this is nothing compared to the big headline! Today is the day, Truthseekers! As of this very morning, we have confirmed the presence of the Cult of the Mind in Western Europe!¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes widened in shock. This was a surprise. He¡¯d long hoped that there had been survivors after the Psychic purge, but he didn¡¯t have the means to investigate himself. ¡°Yes, you heard right! The free Psychics are still out there, working behind the scenes to take down the corrupt NGG. A number of protests against the government¨Cstandard these days¨Creceived what looked like unexpected support from a group of people proudly displaying the emblem of the Cult of the Mind! Don¡¯t believe me? Watch for yourself!¡± The video suddenly shifted to a scene that appeared to take place in Paris. It was a group of protestors with anti-NGG signs, gathered around a stage where a man was speaking in rapid French. Suddenly the camera panned, and the ruins of the Eiffel Tower were visible for a moment as a half dozen people in long coats marched onto the stage. The camera followed them, and they all lined up before throwing off their coats, revealing a red eye emblazoned on each of their chests. They didn¡¯t say anything, but each raised a hand to their brow, before pointing to the sky. The crowd hushed as they watched, then the camera spun at a new commotion, showing dozens of black-uniformed Elites charging the stage, knocking the crowd back as they did so. The supposed Psychics didn¡¯t move, allowing themselves to be surrounded. Vincent had doubts. It was an interesting display, but proved little¡­until he realized the Elites had all stopped moving at the same instant. They each had rifles pointed at the group on stage, but a second later they let them fall to the ground, before they followed suit, collapsing into heaps. The Cult members then moved off, never having said a word. The video cut out a moment later, and Veridicus was back. ¡°Incredible! A display of Psychic power unseen since the Purge! This feat was duplicated in several other key locations across Europe¡­but there¡¯s more.¡± The theatrical man leaned back, and was silent for a moment. ¡°Truthseekers, you¡¯ll never know the lengths I go to in order to ensure I only speak the sacred truth. This is why I hesitate now¨CI must caution that this is only a rumor, and unlike the NGG sheep, you must keep a discerning mind!¡± Vincent was no longer aware of anything but the tiny broadcast on his KD screen, and he leaned in almost close enough to touch it. ¡°There have been reports¡­that the Prophet himself appeared at a rally in London. Again, caution my friends! We cannot fall victim to hearsay, but I feel I must report this.¡± Impossible, Vincent thought. He hadn¡¯t seen the Prophet killed personally, but he was sure the man was in the New York Compound when it fell. ¡°I have no video to substantiate this claim, but we all know London¡¯s significance as the place where the Great Hero began his liberation of our conquered world. ¡°Reports claim that the Prophet appeared, dressed in his famous robes, and alone incapacitated nearly fifty NGG soldiers. Is this a falsehood, Truthseekers? As yet, I cannot say. But just like you, I hope it to be true.¡± He stood, ¡°I¡¯m afraid my time is up; the NGG is always on my trail. ¡°Farewell, truthseekers, until the truth brings us together once more!¡± and the broadcast ended. Vincent leaned back in his chair, letting out a long breath. Could it be possible? Maybe that was the wrong question. Was it probable? And he felt the answer was no. Still, Veridicus proved once again to be a source of revelations. Vincent swapped over to messaging, and quickly wrote out a retraction to Lucia and Danny. They needed to work together. Now. *** Vincent waited in his dorm a few hours later. Lucia had late classes and Danny hadn¡¯t responded at all. Could he still be angry? But that wouldn¡¯t account for missing the Pledge. He assured himself that his friend would be fine, and turned his mind to something he hadn¡¯t been allowing himself to think about: his new powers. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Throughout the day, he¡¯d felt them there, like a tingling in his chest. He hadn¡¯t noticed any passive effects of his new class yet, but that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t any. Many advanced strength Classes provided considerable physical changes to the body¡¯s structure, for instance, that weren¡¯t considered ¡®active¡¯ abilities. You couldn¡¯t lift a car with normal bones, obviously, unless you wanted them crushed into dust. Vincent absently wondered if ¡®Specter¡¯ enjoyed any similar unlisted advantages, but there was nothing immediately apparent. Instead he focused on Phantasm. He imagined that he¡¯d discover a number of interesting uses for the unusual ability over time, but for now he focused merely on controlling it. Thankfully that part wasn¡¯t normally a challenge in the long term, though it could be frustrating in the few months after Manifestation, given the instability that came along with your body adjusting to its new power. Vincent felt that frustration now, as he lay on his bed, staring at his hand raised toward the ceiling. The power was right there, but it seemed to quiver and dissipate each time he felt like it was on the cusp of coming through. He spent an hour practicing, then stopped when he heard a soft knock on the door. He quickly crossed the room to open it, and Lucia hurried inside. ¡°Where¡¯s Danny?¡± he asked before anything else. Lucia raised an eyebrow, but went to sit down before answering. ¡°You¡¯d know if you hadn¡¯t frozen us out and disappeared,¡± she said with obvious disapproval. ¡°Danny got called in for harvest duty. Apparently the storms in New Tecnopolis are worse than we¡¯d heard, and they¡¯re sending more runs than usual. With so much Gamma missing, they¡¯ll likely push even harder.¡± Vincent relaxed a little at hearing Danny was okay. The frequent harvest runs would also work in their favor. It was about time something went right without added complications. ¡°So you heard about the Gamma?¡± Vincent prompted. Lucia was well liked, and wouldn¡¯t have had to rely on overhearing details¨Ceven without her powers. ¡°It¡¯s all anyone seems to be talking about, even after Annissa¡¯s death,¡± she paused, an angry expression on her face. ¡°Only here could a kid dying¨Cafter being used as a punching bag by a super¨Cbe old news after twelve hours. Gary and Cole still being in the hospital is barely an afterthought.¡± Vincent wasn¡¯t ready to risk the conversation turning toward Gary, so he pressed on. ¡°What have you heard about the Gamma?¡± he asked, and Lucia glared at him, then sighed. ¡°Nothing about the actual theft, though they¡¯re not doing anything to keep it hidden. I think they want us scared, and thinking about it loudly. I¡¯m sure you know why,¡± her voice got quieter. ¡°The Psychics are coming¡­in two weeks.¡± ¡°What?¡± he said quickly. ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard a timeline¡­that¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Soon enough to ruin everything,¡± she finished. ¡°Some guards were talking and it was overheard; half the campus knew an hour later. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± She turned to him, looking very serious, ¡°If I go to them now and admit I¡¯m Psychic, they¡¯ll understand why I kept it quiet and might not press further. They might not find out about you, Danny, and the escape plan.¡± Vincent moved to sit on the bed, leaning back against the wall with exhaustion. ¡°We¡¯d still be relying on an empty hope that we could avoid thinking about it when they screened us about the Gamma,¡± he said tiredly. Then he pulled out his K-Device and scrolled to the mysterious message outting their plan to escape. ¡°And then there¡¯s this,¡± he said, holding it out to her. Lucia¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked to be reading it over and over. ¡°How? And how long?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how. I got it yesterday before¡­before I left the dorm.¡± Lucia swore, then leaned forward and put her head in her hands. ¡°Do you have any idea how they might know? They sent it to you, so it must have been tied to something you did.¡± She looked up, ¡°Who scrubbed our KDs? Maybe¨C¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m almost certain it wasn¡¯t my contact. And even if it was, we could ruin him faster than he could us. But¡­I think you¡¯re right it has something to do with our K-Devices. I hadn¡¯t done anything else suspicious enough to draw that conclusion before I got the text.¡± Lucia narrowed her eyes, ¡°Before the text? What have you done since?¡± Mist, mist, mist! ¡°I scouted one of the high security buildings last night; I think it has information we need to coordinate our escape. I didn¡¯t break in though, that can wait.¡± ¡°Until we solve this other impossible problem?¡± she asked, and Vincent smirked slightly. ¡°Well, you were complaining that you didn¡¯t have one. This seems to fit your particular skill set.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucia said, looking shocked. ¡°If you think I¡¯m somehow going to out-Psychic a bunch of NGG pawns¨C¡± ¡°No, of course not. We can¡¯t let it get that far. The only way we¡¯re surviving this is if the Psychics never arrive. The only way to do that, is to find the Gamma, and the thief, before they do.¡± She stared at him, shaking her head slowly, her long, wavy black hair falling in front of her face as she did so. ¡°How exactly do you think I¡¯m going to manage that? Do you think I¡¯m secretly a detective in my off hours?¡± Vincent was genuinely surprised by the response. ¡°They¡¯re bringing in Psychics to solve this¡­how do you think I expect you to do it first?¡± he asked, and her face paled. ¡°I¡­You want me to read people,¡± she whispered. ¡°Obviously. I thought you¡¯d been practicing? It¡¯s not just the perfect solution, it¡¯s the only solution,¡± Vincent responded. Lucia looked ready to object, but the door suddenly opened as Danny quickly let himself in. He took one look at the two intense Villaris, and let out a long sigh. ¡°Something is worse, isn¡¯t it? Why is something always worse?¡± His short brown hair was slicked back with sweat, and he looked tired, but he went to his customary spot leaning against the desk without further complaint. ¡°I¡¯ve been gone since before breakfast, what the hell is going on?¡± he asked, and Vincent hastily filled him in. Thankfully Danny was already aware of Annissa¡¯s death, but he almost threw up when he heard that the NGG Psychics were on their way. When Vincent showed him the mysterious message, he groaned out loud. ¡°Worse! Always worse! Why do I even hang out with you two?¡± he asked, then ran a hand over his face several times. ¡°Only some of this is our fault,¡± Vincent replied, then started listing things as helpfully as he could. ¡°Ironfist still would have been a monster, Annissa still would have tried to escape, and the Gamma still would have gone missing.¡± ¡°We¡¯re practically innocent,¡± Lucia added, rolling her eyes for some reason. ¡°Maybe,¡± Danny said sarcastically. ¡°But I had to collect Gamma in a hellhole infested with ravenous Beta addicts because of you, and I¡¯m still bitter. You know, since it just happened, and since it will keep happening now, like every other day.¡± Vincent perked up, ¡°So you did manage to collect some valuable intel? Excellent work, Danny. How many Beta addicts did you encounter? What was the security like? Any surprises?¡± Danny glared for a moment, but did answer. ¡°Okay, we didn¡¯t actually see any Beta addicts, but you could feel them¡­watching us. I think they¡¯re scared of the guards. I guess that¡¯s the good news¨Cthe guards barely looked at us; they spent the whole day on the lookout for addicts trying to steal the Gamma we collected. They didn¡¯t even stop when the students were on a break to eat.¡± Vincent nodded, rubbing his chin. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. One more challenge we can knock off the board if the addicts won¡¯t be an issue. Also helpful to know the Guards aren¡¯t focused on the students.¡± Danny was shaking his head, ¡°That¡¯s only because they know how insanely terrified we all are. They make a big show of turning on the explosive charges in our harnesses. They beep constantly in our ear, just to keep us terrified. Not to mention there¡¯s twice as many guards as there are students. Definitely not a prayer of sneaking away,¡± he finished. ¡°We knew the harnesses were still an issue, but we¡¯ve made good progress overall. We still need the distraction¨Cwhich I have under control¨Cand to get Lucia on the harvester duty with you. Any insights there?¡± Lucia suddenly looked a lot more interested, and Danny bit his lip while he thought. ¡°Maybe? We all had to change into protective gear¨Clike big baggy hazmat suits. I don¡¯t really know why, though, not like the storms can hurt Adepts.¡± Vincent considered that; he had theories but no answers. ¡°You put the gear on at the Farm?¡± Danny nodded. ¡°Yeah, they took attendance then sent us into change rooms. You see faces through the masks, but I think if we tucked Lucia into the corner of the truck, she should be fine.¡± Lucia actually looked excited, which was rare even when she wasn¡¯t staring down a life sentence as an NGG Psychic slave. ¡°Wait,¡± Vincent asked, ¡°what about the harness explosives? When are they activated?¡± ¡°The guards had a device¨Cthe same one that blows us up I think. They just tapped it on our backs before we got into the truck, and the beeping started. Then one scary speech about how easy and fun it would be to press the button, and they herded us inside.¡± ¡°They¡¯re still a problem then,¡± Vincent said with disappointment. ¡°I was hoping they¡¯d activate them first, then we¡¯d just need to switch places with three students, and everything would be fine.¡± ¡°No such luck,¡± Danny agreed, shaking his head. Vincent forced himself to sound confident, ¡°Still, that means we¡¯re down to just harnesses and timing. I should be able to settle the distraction in the next couple of days.¡± ¡°Care to tell us how you plan to do that?¡± Lucia prodded. ¡°Best that I don¡¯t,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°Especially now that there might be Psychics coming. You don¡¯t want to have this added to what you might be punished for. Trust me.¡± Danny just shrugged, but Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion. ¡°We have other things to worry about,¡± Vincent insisted. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the missing Gamma, and how we can help Lucia figure out who took it, or this whole thing falls apart¨C¡± Vincent cut off, wheeling around as the door opened. Lucia and Danny both jumped up, no one knowing how to react as a girl hurried in, closing the door behind her. When she turned back to them, Vincent couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. It was Emi Sato. ¡°Well,¡± she said, looking the group up and down. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest: I¡¯d hoped to mess with you a bit more before we all got into a room together, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be stupid enough to break into the Gamma stores.¡± The three exchanged confused glances, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Danny asked, sounding genuinely confused either by design or with acting skills Vincent didn¡¯t know he had. ¡°Save it,¡± Emi responded, her ponytail whipping back and forth as she shook her head. ¡°Secret time is over now that you¡¯ve brought Psychics down on us. If they find out I¡¯m a tech, I¡¯m dead, and I¡¯m taking you assholes with me.¡± Chapter 10: The Tech I¡¯ve seen them. Lucia looked from Emi to her brother, not sure what to do. How much did this girl know? This self-proclaimed Tech was trying to act casual, but it was obvious from how her eyes darted around and the way she was blustering that she was terrified. Lucia looked at Vincent, and suppressed a sigh. Her brother was virtually incapable of reading people, so it never seemed to occur to him that others might be able to read him. His posture had changed, and not in a defensive way. He¡¯d puffed out his chest a bit, and was trying to look casual at the same time, despite the fact that this girl was putting their lives at risk. Vincent had a crush. Danny, on the other hand, looked appropriately manic. He was rapidly looking back and forth between Emi and Vincent, waiting for someone to take the lead¨Cas usual. The awkward silence had now stretched for a while, and Lucia was about to break it when Vincent finally seemed to decide how he planned to manipulate the situation. ¡°You sent the message, but you didn¡¯t turn us in. You want to escape this place with us, don¡¯t you?¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened, she thought he¡¯d at least start with a denial. Was he hoping Emi would say yes? The Tech looked uncomfortable, as if wrestling with her feelings. ¡°I want you to return to the Gamma, so the Psychics don¡¯t come and find out about me. Your insane plan to escape is a waste¨C¡± ¡°You contacted me before the Gamma was taken. And you must have used your skills as a Tech to do it¨Cwhich puts you at risk. You¡¯re smart; you wouldn¡¯t have done that without a better plan than screwing with us.¡± Lucia tried and failed to hide her shock. Vincent had complimented Emi. The poor girl didn¡¯t realize it, but this was practically open flirting coming from her brother. ¡°Maybe¡­maybe I was curious,¡± the Tech said. ¡°Everyone knows what you¡¯re like, Villari. You don¡¯t do anything that isn¡¯t part of some scheme. When I noticed your KDs were scrubbed, I watched you. You¡¯re all walking around like paranoid nutjobs. Looking over your shoulders, staring at every guard and camera, whispering in corners.¡± The three exchanged embarrassed glances. They hadn¡¯t been that obvious, had they? Vincent¡¯s glances were accusatory, so as usual it was obvious where he put the blame. ¡°Okay, so you figured us out,¡± Vincent said casually. ¡°But if the Gamma goes back and the Psychics don¡¯t come, then what? You go back to praying no one notices you¡¯re a tech for another year, year and a half?¡± Emi looked cornered, but Lucia was more interested in her brother. Why wasn¡¯t he telling the girl that they had nothing to do with the Gamma? ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the tech finally admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for the right opportunity for a while¡­¡± ¡°To escape?¡± Danny prompted, looking a lot more comfortable now that Vincent had clearly taken control of the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Emi said. ¡°Didn¡¯t that girl getting killed teach you anything? They didn¡¯t even set off her harness. We¡¯re trapped in here.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ¡°But you must have deactivated your own harness, what kind of Tech would choose to walk around with a bomb strapped to her spine?¡± Oh, Lucia thought, now it makes sense. ¡°You think I¡¯m the first Tech with a rigged harness?¡± Emi asked sarcastically. ¡°Techs built these things. You think they didn¡¯t consider other people with the exact same skills as themselves?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t respond. He just did that thing where he stared at someone with disappointment until they couldn¡¯t help but defend themselves. Lucia hated that look. Emi rolled her eyes after the pause became unbearable. ¡°You need a key, alright? A Tech can deactivate the charge, but they can¡¯t do it without a key.¡± ¡°Who has the key?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Why are we even talking about this?¡± Emi said. ¡°Just return the Gamma and we can go back to ignoring each other!¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t take the Gamma. Who has the key?¡± her brother pressed, and Emi¡¯s jaw fell open. ¡°Do you really expect me to believe that? You must have taken it for your stupid escape plan. Bribing guards, trying to push yourselves to Manifest, I don¡¯t know, but obviously it was you!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t. Who has the key?¡± her brother said again, seeming unbothered by Emi¡¯s little tirade. ¡°Oh my God!¡± she said, throwing her arms up in frustration. ¡°The Dean has it, okay? I tried to get it once but¡­never mind!¡± she turned and looked from Danny to Lucia, as if trying to find a sane person in the room. ¡°Is he messing with me?¡± ¡°Not in the way you think he is,¡± Lucia answered with a sympathetic shrug. ¡°We really didn¡¯t take it, but we need to find out who did or¡­or our escape plan is doomed.¡± Talking about it with someone new seemed crazy, but¡­well Emi was already aware, and Vincent hadn¡¯t bothered trying to hide it. What was he thinking, anyway? Lucia¡¯s face paled. Was he planning to get rid of the girl somehow? Was that why he seemed so unphased by her appearance? Emi had looked from Lucia to Danny for confirmation, and the Villari¡¯s tall, handsome friend¡¯s smile seemed to have convinced the nervous Tech. ¡°But if you didn¡¯t take it, who did?¡± she asked, but seemed to be talking to herself. Vincent answered, however, while spinning toward the wall. ¡°Lucia will find out, don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, while writing out the escape plan as he had the day before. ¡°So, we need a distraction¨CI¡¯m working on that. Lucia is dealing with the Gamma. We have our exit opportunity, that¡¯s Danny¡¯s focus¨Cgetting us all on the same truck hopefully won¡¯t complicate things too much.¡± He wrote each challenge down as he had before, but this time assigning a name after. ¡°And now we have the harnesses taken care of,¡± he said while stepping back. ¡°Finally the whole plan has taken shape,¡± he smiled, but Emi looked floored.
  1. Distraction: Vincent
  2. Gamma/Psychics: Lucia
  3. Escape: Danny
  4. Harnesses: Emi
¡°This wraps up everything nicely,¡± Vincent said, ignoring the three stunned faces in the room. ¡°Obviously there¡¯s still challenges associated with each phase, but we¡¯ll lean on each other where we can,¡± he turned to Lucia, who was shaking her head. ¡°Lucia, spend tomorrow getting a more solid grasp of the Gamma situation. Find out what people know, what¡¯s just a rumor, and exactly what happened to Gamma storage. Did they force their way in, how much did they take, etcetera, etcetera¡± He turned to Danny next. ¡°We know what we¡¯re doing now, but we still need the how. Emi and I may simply be able to sign up, but there¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯d be on the same detail. Look into that,¡± finally he turned to Emi, who was looking at him like he¡¯d declared war on the entire NGG. If she only knew¡­ ¡°Emi, tell us about your attempt to steal the Key from the Dean. What went wrong?¡± the admittedly pretty girl¨CVincent wasn¡¯t the only boy Lucia knew with a crush¨Cdidn¡¯t answer. She just looked from the board, to the door, and back again. Emi seemed to be struggling to decide what was the more dangerous choice. ¡°Why would you possibly think I¡¯d join you?¡± she finally asked, and for some reason she seemed genuinely curious¨Cit wasn¡¯t sarcasm this time. Vincent looked bored by the question, as he so often did. Her brother was perpetually disappointed that the whole world didn¡¯t automatically know what he was thinking. Ironic for someone so paranoid about Psychics. ¡°We discussed this. You were already planning to escape with us, you just got nervous when the Gamma went missing and things became serious too quickly,¡± Emi looked ready to object, but closed her mouth after a moment, and Vincent continued. ¡°Things are even simpler now. We¡¯ll either find the Gamma and continue with our plan¨Cwhich is far more likely to succeed with you on our side¨Cor we don¡¯t and we¡¯re all either dead or shipped off to some black site. There¡¯s only one smart choice,¡± he finished, as if the whole thing were painfully obvious. Emi glared at him, then finally said what Lucia had hoped the girl would keep to herself. ¡°There¡¯s another option. I go right now and tell the Dean about your plan¨CI bet I can even convince him that stealing the Gamma was part of it. We¡¯ll see if he is willing to believe it¡¯s a coincidence.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This was it, Lucia thought. The truth was that she didn¡¯t know how far her brother was willing to go, but she had suspicions. If it was just for this escape plan, maybe killing would be too much, but she knew that Vincent had far bigger plans than this. Their mother has selfishly made sure of that. Vincent didn¡¯t seem to be plotting murder, however, he still just looked bored. ¡°At the minimum you¡¯re still revealed as a tech. But if you need more incentive, the rest of the crew will also assure anyone who asks that you were in on the plan from the start. You¡¯re the one who scrubbed our K-Devices, after all.¡± Emi looked furious, ¡°You know I had nothing to do with¨C¡± ¡°There¡¯s at least a dozen other students who¡¯ve seen you watching illegal broadcasts, long before the rest of us did anything suspicious. The faculty might even be convinced you were the one who planned all this.¡± Emi¡¯s eyes were wide with desperation now. ¡°The Psychics will know that¡¯s a lie!¡± ¡°It¡¯s extremely unlikely they¡¯d bring in NGG Psychics for a failed escape attempt. And you¡¯d better hope they don¡¯t, or they¡¯ll figure out you already tried to rob the Dean what, months ago?¡± Danny was grinning now. He always loved Vincent¡¯s party trick. Lucia had to admit, it was a lot more fun when she wasn¡¯t the one being manipulated. Emi didn¡¯t look defeated though. Lucia didn¡¯t know the girl particularly well, but you couldn¡¯t even get the Tech Class without being highly intelligent, and Emi was well known for being tough as hell on top of that. Lucia knew of at least two male students who¡¯d learned that the hard way. Still, the shorter girl did seem out of arguments, even if she wasn¡¯t out of anger or determination. Vincent just waited, ever the patient hunter. Finally he prompted her again, as if the entire exchange of threats hadn¡¯t occurred. ¡°You were telling us about your attempt to steal the Key?¡± At last Emi let out a long sign, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, Lucia was impressed to see a level of detached professionalism to rival her brother¡¯s. ¡°¡®Key¡¯ is a misnomer. It¡¯s a chip that needs to be inserted into a harness. It deactivates the security countermeasures that prevent a Tech from manipulating the harness¡¯s internal circuitry.¡± Vincent was nodding, ¡°And once that¡¯s done, a Tech can just¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®just¡¯. You need the Technokinesis ability, and at a reasonable mastery level, as none of the mechanisms can be interacted with from the outside. Even then it¡¯ll probably take at least an hour to do the first one.¡± ¡°And do you have Techno knees?¡± Danny asked with a serious expression, and Emi shook her head in disbelief, while Vincent seemed unsurprised. Lucia wondered if her brother had any idea how hard Danny worked to look dumber than he actually was around him. ¡°Yes; I can do it,¡± Emi said simply. ¡°So was getting the Key the problem?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Or was it the rest of the difficulties escaping the Farm.¡± ¡°Both,¡± Emi said, leaning back against the wall and crossing her arms. ¡°A student was dismissed two months ago. We were friends and I knew it was coming¨Che was never going to Manifest, and he was happy about it.¡± James Cooper, Lucia recalled. Emi hadn¡¯t appeared to be such a loner until after he left. ¡°Because I knew he was leaving, I had time to hack his KD so its microphone would broadcast to me while his harness was being unlocked. They did it right in the Dean¡¯s office, and I could hear something open and shut. Probably a safe.¡± VIncent nodded, ¡°Okay, so we need to get into the Dean¡¯s office, open a safe, and take the Key somewhere quiet for a number of hours. Can you copy it, or something?¡± ¡°No. Higher level Techs might be able to, with the time, parts, and security clearance, but not me.¡± Vincent nodded. ¡°Then unless we find breaking in so easy we can do it twice, we¡¯ll likely want to time it as close to our escape as possible,¡± he had a hand on his chin as he thought. ¡°You were considering stealing it, Emi, I take it you examined the security in the Dean¡¯s office?¡± Emi let out another long sigh, as if she couldn¡¯t believe she were having this conversation. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as I was initially worried it would be. He hosts a lot of guests in the office and has a secretary going in and out, so it¡¯s relatively lax. There are cameras though¨Cenough that no one is getting to the office without being seen, and a single standing guard, but I think that the safe itself is the real challenge.¡± ¡°Did you try to get in?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°I found an excuse to be on that floor¨Cit¡¯s the top level of the main admin building. I ¡®ran into¡¯ his secretary Denise a couple of times. Enough that when I offered to help her carry up some bags she thought I was just being nice. ¡°But when I saw the inside I knew it was hopeless. I didn¡¯t see the safe, but there was a biometric scanner on one wall. I can¡¯t imagine what else it could possibly be for,¡± she finished, and everyone was quiet for a moment as they absorbed the information. ¡°Okay, then we have another challenge,¡± Vincent said simply, while making a note on the board. ¡°I think this is enough for now, unless you have anything else to add, Emi?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a complete lunatic,¡± she said without missing a beat. Vincent nodded with no expression. ¡°Very well, then I think this is where we should stop for tonight. We¡¯ve made a lot of great strides today, excellent work everyone,¡± Vincent turned and erased the wall, but immediately started replacing it with his own notes. Emi looked at Lucia and Danny, who both shrugged and left the room. Emi followed, leaving Vincent to¡­whatever the hell Vincent does. No one spoke until they¡¯d left the dorm. ¡°Is he always like that?¡± the new girl asked. ¡°Sometimes he¡¯s terse and dismissive,¡± Danny replied with a grin. ¡°He¡¯s just focused right now,¡± Lucia said, more than used to running damage control for her younger brother. ¡°You represent a big change in his grand plans; he¡¯ll need some time to work everything out.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not normal, you know that, right?¡± Emi said, but Lucia sensed something else behind the words. Oh perfect, she thought. ¡°No one here is normal,¡± Lucia answered. ¡°Just try to take the good with the bad when it comes to Vincent. He¡¯s loyal, if¡­challenging.¡± Emi shook her head, and looked up at the darkening sky for a moment. The Watcher should be visible tonight, Lucia thought, following the shorter girl¡¯s gaze. The sky had the slightest hint of green on the horizon. ¡°Well, I need some time to think about how my own grand plans have changed. I¡¯m going to skip dinner.¡± She turned and started walking away, then stopped and added awkwardly, ¡°I guess I look forward to working with you?¡± She shook her head, then walked off toward the girls¡¯ dorms. Danny and Lucia watched her go for a minute, before he asked the obvious question. ¡°Can we trust her?¡± his tone implied Lucia should actually know, and it took her a second to realize he was asking her¡­as a Psychic. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she answered honestly. ¡°Vincent was right that it¡¯s a ¡®mutually assured destruction¡¯ situation, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re safe. Keep an eye on her.¡± Danny nodded, though he seemed disappointed. ¡°You go ahead to dinner without me, I¡¯m going to take a walk over to the South side of campus,¡± he looked at her, and nodded with understanding. ¡°Good luck. I¡¯ll save you some food,¡± he said, then started walking off. ¡°Wait a sec,¡± Lucia called, and caught up to him. ¡°I should have asked, how are you doing with harvester duty?¡± Danny¡¯s face fell. ¡°It¡¯s awful, Lucia. Every single part of it. It¡¯s bad enough being in the storms. You can¡¯t see more than ten feet in front of you; there could be a Beta addict standing right there and you wouldn¡¯t know it,¡± he shivered visibly. ¡°But the guards and that God damned beeping¡­it¡¯s so much worse. I just spent the entire day wishing I was anyone else in the world.¡± ¡°I understand that feeling,¡± Lucia said quietly, and Danny immediately looked crestfallen. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot, Lucia, I¡¯m sorry. I know it¡¯s much worse for you¨C¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, Danny. I was asking about you, I didn¡¯t mean to turn it around and make it about myself.¡± She put a hand on his arm in a way she hoped was comforting. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful that you¡¯re doing this, it means more than I can say.¡± Danny brightened, ¡°We won¡¯t let them take you, Lucia. I promise.¡± His customary grin returned, ¡°I mean, as much of a nightmare as this is, I can¡¯t imagine how bad Vincent¡¯s plan to break you out of a Psychic containment facility would be. He¡¯d probably have me seducing guards in a wig and a dress, and we both know I don¡¯t have the hips for it.¡± Lucia let out a small laugh at the image. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short¨Cat least you have the legs,¡± she gave him a small wink, then turned and started walking toward the South edge of campus, where the Gamma storage was. As she walked, her smile faded, and reality set in. How was she possibly supposed to figure out who did this, with two hundred suspects and no idea what she was doing? If it were just her and Vincent in the room tonight, maybe she would have had the nerve to tell him the truth. Or maybe not. Her brother would be the hardest one to confide in about this, and she¡¯d considered not even telling him she was Psychic to begin with. She¡¯d certainly never wanted to be. Vincent may somehow have painted those years in the Cult as wonderful, but Lucia was old enough to see and understand things that he couldn¡¯t even remember. She knew how obsessed everyone had been. She knew the things they did to people with their powers. She knew what happened to their father. She thought she did, at least. Vincent didn¡¯t even seem to remember who their father was¨Cor at least he refused to talk about it. But Lucia had years more memories of the man, even if he had been constantly coming and going, unlike their mother, who was an unfortunate constant. Lucia hated feeling more connected to that woman. She remembered how their mother had treated their father, and the things she said to him. Now they shared a power that Lucia had grown up despising, and she hadn¡¯t been able to bring herself to even tell her brother about it. He thought her assignment was simple. Just walk around and listen to people¡¯s thoughts like turning on an old radio. But that wasn¡¯t possible, because Lucia¡¯s first ability wasn¡¯t telepathy. All Psychics were supposed to be able to catch a stray thought here and there¨Cwhy was her brother always screaming about ¡®mist¡¯? But you needed the actual specialty to do it on purpose. Lucia had wanted Vincent and Danny to believe that was the power she had Manifested, because no matter how invasive and disgusting it might be, it was better than the truth. She wasn¡¯t ready for the two most important people left in her world to look at her like a monster. She wasn¡¯t ready for them to know that she was one of the bad Psychics. The ones the propaganda warned about. She didn¡¯t want to be just like her mother. She didn¡¯t want the power to tear apart a person¡¯s mind. Chapter 11: Infiltration You¡¯ll see them too. Vincent focused, and the brick shattered in the grasp of the green spectral hand. He didn¡¯t collapse from the effort this time, so he was making progress. He looked around the East Training Yard, checking for the hundredth time to make sure he was truly alone. Thankfully this was not only the least utilized training area, but nearly all the other students were at evening meal. Vincent was panting a little. He¡¯d learned that using his Phantasm skill was like tensing an entirely new muscle. Not only was it hard to make the muscle respond, but it tired remarkably easily¨Cand seemed to drain his entire body at the same time. Still, he¡¯d come a long way in the scant few days since he¡¯d Manifested as a Specter. At first he¡¯d practiced in his room, and eventually he¡¯d gotten used to activating the skill intentionally. His body was still adjusting to the Manifestation, so the power only seemed to respond two out of three times, but it was starting to feel almost natural. After the second day, he¡¯d needed to find someplace to test the limits of the ability, and East Training yard¨Cwhere he¡¯d spent an uncomfortable rainy night so recently¨Cwas perfect. Only part of the yard had camera coverage, and it was so underused that the maintenance teams had begun using it as a dumping ground for discarded building materials. Vincent had a massive collection of bricks, concrete, and metal bars to test himself with, and he¡¯d been making excellent use of them. Taking a deep breath, he reached out beyond himself once more, and picked up a piece of rebar. He¡¯d been trying numerous different applications of Phantasm, and with varying degrees of success. The easiest method was simply to extend the transparent hand like a projectile, effectively firing out from his body and into a target. It couldn¡¯t extend more than a foot or two¨Cfor now at least¨Cbut Vincent discovered that it could connect with incredible force. He could also use it as he did now, grasping the metal bar, and slowly moving it around with concentration. It was a valuable application of the ability, as the Phantasmal hand was vastly stronger than its physical counterpart, and even when he lifted something truly massive, his body didn¡¯t share the strain. He¡¯d lifted a concrete block earlier without leverage of any kind. With considerable effort, Vincent managed to extend a second ghostly hand to match the one on his right, and carefully graped the other end of the rod. At first it passed right through, which had turned out to be the real challenge of his skill. It could be solid, or intangible, or a combination of the two, but for now it took remarkable effort to control. Vincent focused until it felt like something in his mind was threatening to rupture, and at last he managed to grip the bar in both spectral hands, bending it with some satisfaction. The moment he finished, he let the Phantasms fade, and this time he did collapse. He even let himself lay back entirely on the sandy ground, and stared up at the sky as the sun set. He sensed that he was training harder than he should be. Education on how to develop newly Manifested powers was severely lacking on the Farm. As students were meant to report themselves¨Cor be reported¨Cthe moment they Manifested, it was left to wherever they ended up after that to teach them. This meant Vincent was on his own, and unfortunately he was in too much of a hurry to take his time. He knew exactly how he needed to apply his new powers, and every day he waited not only meant less time to plan, but possibly missing a window that could close at any time. He needed to get inside the high-security building he¡¯d scouted, and his new powers were the key. Vincent checked his KD, and saw that he had still had some time. He¡¯d managed to stake out the building for the past several nights since he¡¯d Manifested, and was relieved to find that the same guard always smoked at nearly the same time, just before nine o¡¯clock. As intelligence went it wasn¡¯t much to go on, but the man clearly thought he had privacy, which meant the hallway should at least be empty other than the smoker himself. If Vincent could get in through that door, it would at least reduce his chances of interacting with anyone while he searched for the information they needed. Vincent had over an hour to kill, though, so quickly hid any evidence of his training, then made his way over to the girl¡¯s dorm. Lucia would be there by now, and she had hopefully discovered something he could utilize tonight. He was about to take one of the blindest risks the plan required, and he¡¯d use any advantage he could get. These last few days hadn¡¯t been spent idly, not by any member of the crew. Danny was being pulled onto harvester duty without any breaks. This confirmed that the increased Radstorms in New Technopolis were far from just a rumor, and also that the faculty wouldn¡¯t maintain any pretense of valuing the so-called students¡¯ education when there was Gamma to collect. Lucia was still expressing a lack of confidence that she could catch the thief, but she¡¯d nonetheless made good use of the time so far. Vincent knew that she¡¯d inspected the break-in site, collected every rumor she could, and had managed to develop a suspect list. It was large at this point, being nearly thirty names, but she¡¯d managed to eliminate almost nine tenths of the students, and she apparently had made further progress today. Emi was still the wildcard. Vincent had been sure to project confidence and poise when she¡¯d barged into his room that first night, but the truth was that she hadn¡¯t yet earned their trust. He knew Lucia was watching the Tech, and he was as well, in his own way, though he genuinely believed Emi was too smart to ruin all their lives. Still, scared people made bad decisions. Vincent followed a couple of girls into the dorm, and thankfully it was a common enough occurrence not to draw attention. The faculty had long since given up on trying to stop two hundred teenagers from pairing off, and contraceptive injections were trusted to do the heavy lifting at this point. Vincent was walking by Emi¡¯s door as he had this thought, and he hastily convinced himself the two things were unrelated. The Tech had assured them she was preparing for her part in dealing with the harnesses, and she had even showed them some special tools she¡¯d developed for that purpose. During the last two night¡¯s synch-ups, Danny had even allowed her to examine his own harness, as she had limited access to her own. Vincent arrived at his sister¡¯s dorm, and made a show of knocking¨Csomething she often didn¡¯t bother with. She called him in after a brief pause, and he stepped inside the room that was a mirror of his own¨Csave that she¡¯d actually used the wall to decorate. His sister was a gifted artist, though he hadn¡¯t yet found a practical use for that skill. He let his eyes brush over the flowers, animals, and more impressionistic images, finally landing on Lucia. She was sitting at her desk, taking notes on her KD. ¡°You said you made some discoveries?¡± Vincent asked, and she looked at him with some annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m fine thanks, glad you are too. No it hasn¡¯t been an easy day, kind of you to ask. The endless headaches? Worse if you can believe it,¡± Vincent patiently waited, and finally she grew tired of amusing herself. ¡°I was looking into the guards.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°It would make things very difficult if it was one of them. We¡¯re in no position to try to track their movements, and the barracks is a lost cause.¡± ¡°Exactly my thinking,¡± she said, leaning back in her chair. ¡°Thankfully it shouldn¡¯t be necessary. I managed to find a few private moments with Jimmy,¡± she noticed his confused expression. ¡°He¡¯s the youngest guard, just started, and still sees himself as closer to us than his new coworkers. He was a student in the California farm until a couple of months ago.¡± Vincent mentally added Jimmy to the list of possible assets to be considered later on. ¡°Go on,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s talking about the Gamma theft so it wasn¡¯t hard to turn the conversation to the topic, and I asked him whether he was worried he might be blamed, given he was the new guy. He told me¡­probably more than he should have.¡± Vincent raised an eyebrow, and Lucia blushed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­I think. Whatever. Shut up. He told me what I needed, and that¡¯s what matters,¡± she continued. ¡°Apparently guards have their own Gamma intake monitored through a sensor on their harnesses¨Ca surplus would be nearly useless to them. Beyond that, their locations are tracked at all times,¡± she looked proud of herself, and she was right to, Vincent considered. ¡°That effectively eliminates them as suspects. Excellent work,¡± he said, and his sister beamed. He glanced down at his KD, checking the time. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to rush you, but I have to break into the Western Security Station in less than an hour, and I need some details.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Lucia¡¯s face rapidly went from pride, to what Vincent thought might be a combination of confusion and fear. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? You never mentioned this!¡± ¡°I told you I was handling the distraction, but we don¡¯t keep close tabs on every little thing everyone does,¡± Lucia¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°¡®Little thing¡¯! You¡¯re going to get yourself killed!¡± ¡°The odds of that happening increases the more you waste time,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°Be angry later, brief me now. I am going tonight, so arguing is just putting me in more danger.¡± Lucia sputtered for a moment, but thankfully she knew when his mind was made up, and what that meant. ¡°What could I possibly tell you that would help? I don¡¯t know anything about the security stations¨Cno students are allowed in there.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to. However, you do have information on the Gamma break-in, and if I can¡¯t do this without leaving a trace, I¡¯d prefer to make it look like the thief did it.¡± Lucia was taken aback for a moment, but then looked away, considering. ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­I¡¯m not sure how much will be relevant, but I suppose I¡¯ll leave that to you,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s what I know: there were two guards, and they were taken out when they separated so one could patrol. They were both hit on the back of the head. Jimmy says they think it was done with an object, not fists,¡± Vincent cocked his head at that. ¡°How did they figure that out?¡± he asked. ¡°A few things were consistent. The guard¡¯s injuries were the first clue, and although their own credentials and hands were used to open the main security door, the actual Gamma was inside crates. They were clearly pried open by something metal.¡± ¡°So likely not someone with a hidden strength Manifestation,¡± Vincent said, wondering how many more students were out there hiding, like himself, and Gary. ¡°Can¡¯t eliminate the possibility, but if so, they probably weren¡¯t strong enough to trust their bare hands,¡± she replied, and he conceded the point. Good to see she wasn¡¯t making assumptions. ¡°Anything else I could use?¡± she paused, thinking again, then her face brightened. She quickly turned and rummaged through the drawer under her bed, turning back and tossing him a dark red sweater. ¡°The winter uniform?¡± he asked. ¡°Just the sweater,¡± Lucia answered with a small smile. ¡°You can¡¯t avoid the cameras to get to Gamma storage, and there¡¯s more inside. The thief had one of those wrapped around their face.¡± ¡°More proof it was a student,¡± Vincent said absently as he tried to find a clever way to wrap the sweater around his own head while still being able to see. ¡°Eye holes,¡± Lucia said with a chuckle, and Vincent started ripping. ¡°And the guards actually have the same sweaters, I remember them from an assembly last winter, but thankfully¨C¡± ¡°Your boyfriend cleared that up,¡± Vincent said, testing his new mask. ¡°That was almost a joke,¡± Lucia said while rolling her eyes. ¡°What?¡± Vincent responded, and she rolled her eyes again. ¡°Sure, fine. Anything else I can use?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I have,¡± she answered, a look of concern returning to her face. ¡°Please be careful, this is a bigger risk than anything we¡¯ve taken so far.¡± ¡°I will be, but I wouldn¡¯t do this if I didn¡¯t think I had a reasonable chance of succeeding. Thank you, Lucia,¡± he said, then turned, very conscious of the time, and tucked his new mask away before leaving. *** Twenty minutes later, Vincent was crouched behind the Western Security Building. Thankfully his plan didn¡¯t involve hiding next to the stairs again, as there was no rain for cover tonight. Instead, he peeked out from around the corner he¡¯d escaped around previously, waiting. He¡¯d arrived early, not willing to risk missing the guard¡¯s break. The man was fairly punctual, but this wasn¡¯t the night to rely on that. Vincent had avoided as many cameras as possible on the way over, and only now put on the red sweater-mask to disguise himself. Even in the cooling air of the early fall, the mask was hot, and he hoped the man would appear soon. It was only a few minutes later when the smoker finally emerged, this time exiting completely as the weather was cooperating. He didn¡¯t say anything tonight, though Vincent had heard several more short rants about Guard Captain Malary on previous nights; either the captain wasn¡¯t well-loved, or this particular guard had a serious grudge. After a few minutes, the guard stamped out his cigarette, then turned and began unlocking the door. Vincent braced himself, hating that the timing of this would be such a gamble. The electronic locks made a quiet beep as the man¡¯s hand was scanned, and he was through a moment later. The second Vincent saw the door close, he raced toward it, counting. He¡¯d had plenty of time to do some simple experiments, pacing the length of the building and timing himself. He figured that even if the guard practically strolled back to his station inside, the longest it could take was less than a minute. Vincent had inferred from the man¡¯s secrecy that this particular break wasn¡¯t meant to be noticed, so his hope was that the hallway inside would be clear for that minute. Vincent was uncomfortably aware, however, that there were numerous problems. There were no guarantees to any of his estimates, and he honestly wasn¡¯t even certain the doorway opened onto a hallway, as he hadn¡¯t been to get a look inside from any safe vantage point. There was even a chance the guard sat in a desk immediately inside the door, and Vincent clutched the piece of metal rebar he¡¯d hastily grabbed from the training site, considering he might need to use it soon. Still, he didn¡¯t have the luxury of time to figure a better way to do this, and he begrudgingly accepted that some parts of escaping an inescapable prison might require luck. When he reached the door, he quickly glanced around before placing his right palm against it, and concentrated. This was what he¡¯d been training for the past few days, and he wished he felt more confidence. It was the worst combination of challenges for his new power, as he needed to summon a Phantasmal hand that could pass through the door, then grip the interior handle, while staying partly intangible. He¡¯d been trying to recreate this exact setup in his training area, and had only today managed to reach through a piece of plywood to grasp a brick on the other side. The brick had shattered. Hopefully the door handle was made of more resilient material. Vincent had considered that he might be able to destabilize enough of the door to somehow break through it, but such a blatant display of his powers was dangerous, would set him apart from the Gamma thief, and could even set off alarms he wasn¡¯t aware of. Instead, this entire break-in, and maybe even their lives, depended on reaching through this door and grabbing a handle. His face was sweating from more than just the hot mask. Vincent was still counting in his head, and nearly reached the minute mark when he summoned his power. Nothing happened. He barely stopped himself from swearing aloud, and tried again. Still nothing. Okay, so maybe my success rate isn¡¯t quite two out of three yet, he considered. Vincent took a slow, deep breath, willing his anxiety away, and trying to banish the adrenaline in his veins, then reached inward. Blessedly, the power answered his call. Swallowing his excitement and relief, he focused on what he needed his power to do. Carefully, the softly glowing spectral hand began to shift through the door, its green light thankfully not too bright for his body to hide. There shouldn¡¯t be any patrols around at this time, but the last thing Vincent wanted was for his display of power to draw any curious eyes. He closed his own, as he strained his consciousness to focus entirely on the hand as it emerged on the other side of the door. He had found that he could feel with the odd limb¨Cas if it were his real hand¨Cand he gently felt around the other side, not completely sure how high up the handle was. Part of him couldn¡¯t help but listen for screams of alarm from inside. If a guard was there, they¡¯d be witnessing a remarkably suspicious sight. He heard nothing, however, and Vincent gritted his teeth as he pushed his mind back onto the task at hand. At last he felt it, and was momentarily surprised when the metal handle felt cool to the touch. Vincent pushed away any joy at the small victory, as he was already juggling too many goals at once. He not only had to keep the ¡®wrist¡¯ of the spectral limb intangible, while the hand needed to be able to grip, but he also had to prevent the Phantasm from damaging the door itself. Slowly, and ever so carefully, he pulled down on the handle, feeling the resistance as it unlatched the heavy locks. A new challenge came as Vincent needed to apply more force, but had to stop himself from crushing the cold steel as he did so. At last, several soft clicks sounded his success, and he pulled the door open without a second thought. The spectral hand harmlessly dissipated as he did so, and Vincent spent a moment perfectly still. The door was only open an inch¨Chopefully not enough to be too obvious¨Cand he strained his ears for any indication that he¡¯d been seen. Still, he was aware that he was on an unknown timeline, and he only waited a moment before opening the door a little farther, and looking inside. It was a hallway, and thankfully an unoccupied one. Vincent released a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding, and opened the door a little more to get a better look. The interior was dark, which didn¡¯t surprise him as very little light had escaped when the smoker took his breaks. The hallway seemed to span the entire length of the building, and it was only lit by small red lights lining the hallway at intervals. There were numerous doors on each side, and brightness spilled out from a few, but there were no signs of any guards in the immediate vicinity. There were also very few hiding places, and Vincent shook his head, gathering his resolve. It was time to take the next risk. As quietly as he could, he opened the door the rest of the way and slipped through, closing it behind him. He was inside. Chapter 12: Last Chance Row We couldn¡¯t go through with it. Vincent¡¯s instincts screamed at him to hide, to remain still, to do anything but charge headlong into the dark hallway with its ominous red lights, but he knew those instincts were wrong. Keeping low to the ground, he crept forward, trying to make as little sound as possible. He was grateful to find that there didn¡¯t appear to be any cameras nearby, but reminded himself not to get complacent. As he approached the first door, he strained his ears for the sounds of the guards. He knew he needed to get out of this open corridor as quickly as possible, but he also had no idea where he was going. He had to check everything, and so he peeked through the small window, inching his way up so as not to draw the eye. It looked like a break room, and it was currently unoccupied. Just a fridge, cabinets, and chairs, but he made a note of it as a potential hiding place in an emergency, then moved on. The next two rooms were completely dark inside, and Vincent dismissed them for now¨Cif he needed to come back, he would, but he was determined to find the guards first. He didn¡¯t need to wait long, as the next door with light streaming through its window rewarded him with a view of a single guard, staring at a wall of monitors. Vincent couldn¡¯t be certain, but from the smell of secondhand smoke he suspected this was the man he¡¯d followed inside. The room may have had the information Vincent needed, but he had already decided that fighting the guards would be a last resort. Relieved that at least one known enemy was now accounted for, he moved deeper into the facility. He soon encountered a stairwell leading to the lower levels, and noticed some vague signage indicating what was down there. ¡®Processing¡¯ and ¡®Pending¡¯ told him almost nothing, but he suspected he now knew his destination. He quickly completed scouting the upper level, all the while prepared to disappear through one of the doors if he heard any guards. The rest of the rooms he could see into turned out to be a combination of offices and supply rooms, and Vincent considered that this place must be packed during the day. At last content that there were likely no other surprises being left at his back, he returned to the stairwell, and quietly went down, painfully aware of his own vulnerability. The stairwell ended at another hallway¨Cthis one better lit. There turned out to be only a single basement floor, evidently for both Processing and Pending, and with little to go by, he followed the sign labeled ¡®Pending¡¯ to his left. There was more space down here, and the hall was littered with discarded equipment he didn¡¯t recognize, as well as gurneys and other things that looked somewhat medical in nature. There were numerous doors down here as well, but spaced further apart, and it wasn¡¯t long before he heard voices coming from somewhere ahead. Steeling his nerves, Vincent kept moving, finding the first door leading to another dark room. As he moved closer to the second, it became clear that it was the source of the voices. Every so slowly, Vincent approached the window, and looked through. Two men were inside talking, and he thought they were guards, though their combat gear was missing, and their dark uniforms had their sleeves rolled up. The room was more of a cell than anything else, complete with stained padded walls, and the bare essentials for keeping a single person alive. Vincent couldn¡¯t see past the two men, but he heard groaning, and had strong suspicions. ¡°Have you ever even seen this work? This is some seriously dark shit if not,¡± said the closer of the two. ¡°Not often, but it can. I was on Last Chance Row myself. Trust me,¡± said the second. ¡°You have to be joking. They did this to you and you¡¯re still willing to do it to someone else?¡± came the first, who¡¯d begun pacing, clearing Vincent¡¯s view. Randy Sullivan was hanging from the wall by chains, and his shirt was missing, revealing a torso covered in blood and bruises. ¡°Of course I am!¡± said the second man, who was wiping even more blood from his face and shaved head with a rag. ¡°We¡¯re doing these kids a favor. If they don¡¯t Manifest now, they¡¯ll end up as Beta addicts if they¡¯re lucky,¡± his voice was deep and gruff, but matter of fact. ¡°I get it, ¡®Last Chance¡¯ and all, but still¡­they¡¯re kids, Roy. I used to see this one at the Pledge.¡± Vincent shook his head in understanding. Randy had supposedly been dismissed last month for never Manifesting, not even as a Basic. Everyone believed he was home by now¡­but he was here. ¡°They¡¯re not kids, Jacob, they¡¯re potential heroes,¡± he laughed, ¡°or at least, potential army grunts or guardsmen. But still,¡± he said, looking the other man in the eye, ¡°you can¡¯t think of them as kids.¡± He punctuated this claim by turning and punching Randy rapidly three times in the side, and the light-haired boy coughed and wheezed, but otherwise didn¡¯t stir. Vincent could barely control himself. Were all the ¡®dismissed¡¯ students actually brought down here? He had to imagine they were, and his eyes were drawn to more than a dozen other rooms lining the hall. This was the fate he had unknowingly been trying to arrange for himself, Danny, and his sister. If Lucia hadn¡¯t Manifested, they might have made it another six months, or even a year. But if so, he would have been responsible for the two people closest to him ending up chained and tortured in a basement, praying to Manifest, exactly what they¡¯d been avoiding. Rage was threatening to overwhelm him, and Vincent made himself breath, and think logically. He quickly checked the hall again to make sure he was still alone, then looked back into Randy¡¯s cell. It seemed like ¡®Roy¡¯ and ¡®Jacob¡¯ were in the middle of their work, so he risked moving farther down the hall. He confirmed the next three cells were used for the same purpose, though only the first one was occupied, this time by a student he didn¡¯t recognize. The girl was sitting on a ragged cot, staring forward with her mouth hanging open, and there was blood staining the walls. Vincent briefly considered some kind of rescue, but knew it would be incredibly foolish and doomed to fail. Instead he began back toward the stairwell. If these students were ¡®Pending¡¯ Manifestation, he had to assume ¡®Processing¡¯ was where he¡¯d find what he needed. As he approached Randy¡¯s cell, however, things grew more complicated. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear that?¡± asked the higher voice belonging to Jacob. ¡°I was busy doing our job. Make yourself useful and go check it out. You never know when one of our guests might Manifest; it isn¡¯t always during our administrations.¡± Vincent scrambled forward, wondering if he could get to the stairs before the guard emerged, but throwing away the hope immediately¨Cit was too far, and provided no real place to hide. Once more relying on luck, he opened the first door he¡¯d encountered, scrambling into the dark room, and quietly shutting the door behind him¨Cjust as he heard the sound of another opening. He quickly turned on the dim display on his KD, which barely illuminated a small area in front of him. He wasn¡¯t in a cell, though the room¡¯s purpose was still beyond him. He moved forward while trying to block the light from reaching the door behind him, and quickly reached the far wall, which housed a number of small doors, stacked floor to ceiling. Abruptly he knew where he was, and made the only decision he could under the circumstances. Grabbing a few handles, he found each locked, and panic started to rise inside him. He heard Jacob¡¯s loud voice as he desperately searched, ¡°Nothing going on in the cells, Roy, gonna check the morgue, then do a quick patrol of Processing.¡± Vincent knew he was out of time, and shut off his K-Device as a glowing green copy of his right hand reached out and twisted the closest handle, the lock breaking with a thankfully quiet snap! Vincent opened the door as quickly as he could, then used it as leverage to dive feet-first into the open drawer. It was more difficult than he¡¯d hoped, as this drawer was occupied. Ignoring his own disgust, he shimmied his way down while shutting the door behind him, hearing the guardsman coming in just as he did so. Sound was muffled inside the cold drawer, and his own ragged breathing seemed to echo in the small space. He could feel a large, lumpy body beneath him, and it took all his concentration not to give in to anxiety and terror as he summoned all the willpower he possessed to keep himself from moving. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Ever since the night he¡¯d lost his mother, Vincent had felt anesthetized to fear, and to strong emotion in general¨Cif he was being honest with himself. But there were exceptions, and right now he was trapped in his worst nightmare. The sounds of the guard walking through the morgue searching for him were nothing compared to his mind¡¯s absolute certainty that the walls were closing in around him. He was trapped in a small space, with a cold, dead body pressed against him, and his rational mind couldn¡¯t push aside the insane notion that the body belonged to his mother. His attempts to control his breathing were failing terribly, and he was now hyperventilating, the cold air burning his lungs as his body began to shake. There was a tense feeling in his chest, as if he were having a heart attack, and he was quickly losing all grasp on reality. The logical voice in his head, normally so dominant, seemed like a distant whisper as it told him over and over that he needed to be calm, needed to stay still. Instead he knew he had seconds left in him at best, as every inch of his body was desperately fighting to escape this hell. Help me, Vincent¡­whispered a voice from his memory. Please, Vincent¡­you¡¯re the only one who can. At last he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, and with a powerful push with his legs against the inner wall, the entire sliding drawer went flying outward, the door¡¯s broken lock offering no resistance. He rolled off the drawer and landed on the floor, gasping and just barely holding in a scream, no thought given to how he was going to deal with the guard. It took him several seconds to realize that he was still in darkness, and he forced his eyes upward to see that the door was closed, with only the tiniest bit of light leaking through its window. Jacob had apparently taken only a cursory look inside, then left. Relief rushed through Vincent¡¯s body, but the anxiety faded much more slowly, and it took him a few minutes to drag himself from the floor. He stayed low, not wanting to take any chances, knowing that he would never be able to bring himself to hide in this place again. At last he felt in control of himself enough to resume his mission, and he shakily reached up to slide the drawer back in. He paused though, as his hand reached toward the body in the dark. He knew it wasn¡¯t his mother. She had died a dozen years ago in another place¡­but he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to banish the nightmare completely if he didn¡¯t prove it to himself. Grabbing his K-Device from his pocket, he turned the dim screen back on, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. Of course it wasn¡¯t his mother, but he did know this person. It belonged to Gary Sawatzki, and it was the boy¡¯s sunken face that he was looking at. The revelation brought up complex emotions in the already shaken Vincent, and he found himself scanning the room, and scooping up a clipboard when he found one. He was disgusted as his eyes scanned the list, each name belonging to a student, many he¡¯d known personally. The cause of death listed for nearly everyone was ¡®Manifestation Assistance¡¯, and his mind went to the blood stains on the cell walls as anger rose up within him. There was an exception, however, as he found Gary¡¯s name. It read: ¡®Undiagnosed brain injury incurred during Power Demonstration¡¯, and Vincent let out a small sigh. This meant they weren¡¯t looking for a murderer at least, though he knew he¡¯d need to process the fact that he was one at a later time. Pushing that realization from his mind, he replaced the clipboard and returned Gary to the cold darkness of the drawer, closing it behind him. Inspecting the handle showed that it was clearly broken, the metal even bent into the shape of his spectral grip. It was too late now: someone would be sure to discover this eventually, and he knew he needed to adjust his plans accordingly. Vincent moved to the door, and pressed his face against the glass to try to see as far as he could in either direction down the hallway. He peeked his head out a moment later, thankfully alone, and closed the door soundlessly a moment later. He quickly made his way back to the cell, and was relieved to see both guards back at their grizzly task. Knowing that the risk was growing with each passing moment, Vincent hurried back in the other direction, hoping he¡¯d find his answers quickly. Processing turned out to be almost a mirror image of the Pending wing, except the cells on this side were apparently occupied by students that had already Manifested, one way or another. Vincent quickly scanned the K-Tablets built into the walls next to each cell, which listed names and powers, as well as the current status of the occupant. Eliza Trenton could fly, though she was now listed as comatose. Tyler Booker was a Basic, though he was bedridden from two broken legs. The list went on, and Vincent was surprised by how many there were, but he considered that several students did leave each month, even if the circumstances were rarely broadcast. The one thing that was consistent in the records of each student was that they were on a Gamma cleanse, and this at last provided Vincent the opportunity he needed. He pulled out the vials he¡¯d brought with him, and began tossing a few through the small slots used for delivering meals in each cell as he went by. Some of the occupants would be able to reach them, though most weren¡¯t able to walk for one reason or another. That was fine; he wanted them to be found. This way, when it was discovered that someone broke in, it would be obvious that the ¡®someone¡¯ had a great deal of Gamma to spare¨Cas if they¡¯d just robbed the Campus stores, for instance. Vincent was smiling as he dumped the last of his Gamma into the final cell, his eyes locked on the K-Tablet nearby. He was memorizing what he¡¯d read when a rough voice sounded behind him. ¡°Well, well, it looks like Jacob wasn¡¯t hearing things after all.¡± Vincent spun around to find he was staring up at the large guard who¡¯d been enthusiastically beating Randy back in the cell. The bald man was remarkably quiet for his size, as Vincent had heard no warning of his approach. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before, runt. We caught you on camera at the Gamma stores. What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing here?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t answer, instead pulling the piece of rebar from where he¡¯d tucked it into his pant leg while he searched. This was bad, but the disguise was working at least. The guard burst into a deep belly laugh when he spotted the small ¡®weapon¡¯, and Vincent wasn¡¯t surprised. The guards were well trained, even if this one didn¡¯t have his combat gear with him, and Vincent was obviously just a student¨Cand a slight one at that. His mind raced as he looked past the larger man, confirming that the other guard was absent. Vincent was feeling more than a little dangerous himself, right now, having just been uncomfortably close to the results of the last time he¡¯d used his power as a Specter against another human. ¡°Brandishing a weapon against a guard? Thank you for making this nice and legal for me,¡± Roy said, and Vincent prepared himself for violence. It was clear a moment later, though, that this fight would be more complicated than he expected. The guard¡¯s right shoulder suddenly expanded with a sickening crunch, followed by his left leg. Next his head was bent to one side as part of his upper back bulged with rippling muscle. Vincent¡¯s eyes widened; he knew what was happening, and it was decidedly bad. He had no intention of sitting back to wait for the man to finish his gruesome transformation, and the next time part of the man bulged and flexed, Vincent put all of his strength into swinging the rebar at the guard¡¯s untransformed right knee. There was a horrifying crack, and Roy¡¯s leg collapsed beneath him. Strangely though he didn¡¯t utter a sound, and Vincent looked up in confusion, only to see that the man¡¯s neck was currently inflating with muscle, and his mouth was soundlessly screaming. There was no time to waste, and Vincent leaped over top of the hobbled guard, his light weight and enhanced muscles making it easy to clear the superhuman hurdle. He landed lightly behind the furious man, and took off at a sprint, desperate to reach the stairwell and get away from this horrible place. He didn¡¯t pause to look back as he rounded the corner and began taking the steps three at a time. A deep, terrible roar sounded from below as Vincent emerged into the dark hallway of the first floor, and he pushed himself even harder as he moved toward the exit. A door up ahead opened, light spilling into the hallway, and the smoker turned with just enough time to mutter, ¡°What the hell¨C¡± before Vincent¡¯s shoulder slammed into the guard¡¯s stomach. The man went down in a heap, and Vincent scrambled up and past him before the smoker could collect himself. As the exit blessedly came within reach, Vincent involuntarily turned around at another roar, and the sound of metal screeching as it bent. Roy was there, forcing his gigantic, twisted frame through the too-small door leading out of the stairwell, and the walls were buckling and cracking around him. Vincent¡¯s eyes widened from within the red mask, and he began backing away, unable to pull his gaze away from the sight. Finally the guard managed to burst through, and began lumbering and limping down the hallway. His impossibly broad shoulders were brushing against both sides of the hallway, and he had his hands spread out and trailing behind him, enormous misshapen fingers digging deep gouges into the walls as he advanced. Vincent felt the door behind him and fumbled for the handle as more bestial growls echoed toward him. The smoker managed to sit up just in time to mutter, ¡°Oh for the love of¨C¡± before the raging behemoth trampled him and left a pile of debris and ruined walls in his wake. Vincent at last managed to find the handle, and he threw the door open and raced through, a primal terror running through him as he turned his back on the eight foot monster that was half running, half dragging itself toward him. The open air was like the sweet release of freedom, and Vincent wasted no time rushing down the stairs and retreating from the building with all the speed he had. It had been a horrible trial, but he¡¯d done it. He¡¯d accomplished his mission. He knew the exact day they¡¯d be escaping this death sentence disguised as a school, and he¡¯d even managed to implicate the Gamma thief along the way. Now he just needed to¨C Vincent¡¯s ears were ringing from the explosion, and he found it nearly impossible to draw breath. He was on the ground, though he didn¡¯t remember falling. Slowly he managed to roll over, consciousness threatening to abandon him at any moment. A deep, gnarled voice echoed out around him, though Vincent could barely hear it over the ringing. ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, little thief!¡± screamed the disfigured and grotesquely proportioned guard, standing at the center of a ten foot burning crater where the building¡¯s door had been. Some part of Vincent¡¯s mind dispassionately thought, Interesting, he has a second power, and then he forced his injured body off the cobblestone ground, and ran. The monster was coming. Chapter 13: Prey Don¡¯t let it inside you. Vincent ran through the dark. His legs ached, his ears rang, his mind was in turmoil, but still he ran. He tried not to waste time looking behind him, but he didn¡¯t need to, as the occasional thud would remind him that his pursuer was always near. The monster didn¡¯t run, instead it jumped, landing on rooftops, on the path behind him, once even in a tree, but always close, always in the corner of his eye. The transformed guard was toying with him, that was clear now. The man was stronger than anyone on campus was supposed to be¨Che eclipsed the other guards¡¯ strength, and would likely have given the Dean a run for his money. Who was he? The guards were all supposed to be Basics¨Csupers not even powerful enough to be of use to the army. Had this one hidden his strength? Was there more going on here than Vincent knew? These thoughts raced through his mind and he struggled to form a plan. He was heading South, the West wall looming in the darkness to his right. Building after building disappeared in a blur as he pushed himself to run flat out for as long as possible. There he is again, he thought, as the lumbering mass of his stalker was suddenly only a few feet away, gazing at him from an alleyway. The monster was unmistakable, even when he was nothing but a dark silhouette. The massive arms reached the ground, and the head was perpetually tilted completely to one side, as if in curiosity. It had quickly become clear that the guard had no interest in simply capturing Vincent. There was no alarm raised, and while Vincent was never far from his pursuer, he appeared free to dictate their path. He was still avoiding cameras and patrols, and the monster did the same, seemingly content to follow and harass its prey¡­for now. Vincent had no idea how long he had before the creature inevitably attacked, and he had to be careful not to end his hunter¡¯s game early. There were few options, he considered, as his heart hammered in his chest. He needed to hide¨Cit would be insane to pit his fledgling abilities against this beast¨Cbut where? How? His dorm wasn¡¯t an option, as he couldn¡¯t be seen returning to it, mask or no. There were a few other places he might manage to stay the night, but it was irrelevant if he couldn¡¯t find some way to lose his pursuer, at least for a time. The East Training Yard was the obvious choice, and he¡¯d been planning to use it as a fallback location even before he drew the attention of the mad guard. But he couldn¡¯t just lead the monster right to it, think, think, think! He skidded to a halt, ducking between a building and some trees. He had no illusion that his stalker didn¡¯t know exactly where he was, but he needed a minute to breathe, and he could only hope the monster hadn¡¯t tired of his game yet. So, what do I know? The monster was avoiding guard patrols and cameras as carefully as Vincent himself¨Cmaybe his abilities were a secret? What else¡­his right leg did appear injured, and hadn¡¯t even seemed transformed, likely due to the strike Vincent had made back in the Security building. How can I use that? he thought. Vincent was now nearing the Southern tip of campus, and if he went much farther he''d be visible to the lookout towers. He should be cutting across campus now to make for the Training yard. What¡¯s between there and here? Not willing to risk boring his pursuer, he started running again. The South edge of campus had a few lecture halls, some lodgings for visitors and¡­and it was where the guards stored all the vehicles. That wasn¡¯t much, but it was something. Vincent started working on a plan, and angled his run so he was heading toward the large garage where the harvesters were parked. Danny had briefed them on everything he could remember in regard to harvester duty. The trucks were massive, and armored, designed to survive being attacked by Beta addicts and Villains. They were also kept in a building with minimal security¨Cthey were virtually impregnable themselves, and students were often required to perform basic maintenance on them, making tight security disadvantageous. As Vincent approached the building, another telltale thud sounded, and he spotted the gruesome shape of his pursuer standing on top of the building, watching him. Vincent quickened his pace, and prepared his Phantasmal hand; he had to get inside this building. Quick as he could, while disguising his movements as best as he was able, Vincent used the powerful ghostly hand to hurl the piece of rebar he¡¯d carried with him at remarkable speed. The darkness and surprise worked in his favor, and he was rewarded by a roar of pain as the beast of a man fell back a step. Vincent didn¡¯t waste his opportunity, using the same spectral hand to smash open the side door on the garage, bursting into the darkness beyond. He threw the door closed behind him, and kept rushing forward. He knew from Danny what to expect, and immediately ducked down and started crawling. The garage sported two neat rows of four, massive harvesters, each raised up on huge, all-terrain wheels. Danny had mentioned the clearance as a possible place to store supplies when they finally left, but Vincent needed it now as a way to hopefully slow down his pursuer. Sure enough, the door crashed off its hinges a moment later, and he heard the monster charge in. Vincent was still scrambling, now moving to the next truck and heading toward the cab at the front. He knew there was another door on the opposite side of the building, but he needed the guard to believe he was still inside to have any hope of escape. He was counting on the monster not wanting to draw attention to prevent him from simply tossing the trucks aside¨Ca feat of strength Vincent didn¡¯t want to believe was possible either way. The injured right leg would also make pursuit underneath the vehicles a difficult process. He hoped he was proven right when he spotted the guard shuffling slowly around the garage, searching. Apparently the leaps were for more than show, as his movements were slow and loud when he was forced to walk. Vincent breathed a sigh of relief, and stealthily made his way to the second row of trucks, once again tucking between the wheels. He stopped short when the next truck over suddenly compressed as a weight landed on top of it. Can¡¯t get complacent, he reminded himself as he waited, holding perfectly still. A moment later he heard the sound of a truck on the other side of the garage compress from another landing, and he hastily moved on hands and knees until he was directly beneath the driver¡¯s seat of his current hiding place. More thuds, as the stalker seemed to lose patience. Next he heard the sound of a truck¡¯s struts straining as it was shifted on the other side of the garage. Vincent tried to concentrate, reaching his hand up, then sending a Phantasm through the bottom of the cab. The hand could only extend a short distance, and he hated knowing he¡¯d have to repeat this feat from right next to the cab in a moment, but there was no point raging against things he couldn¡¯t control. He closed his eyes, feeling around, until he found the emergency brake, and with a quick pull it disengaged. There was an unmistakable sound to the process, and a moment later he heard shuffling steps and another thud. Vincent made himself as small as he could, huddling up to the wheel-well, and trying to disappear into the shadows around him. There was some moonlight coming in through windows near the top of the garage, and he knew that he was relying on luck once again. A moment later he saw a massive, misshapen foot step under the cab right next to him, and a moment later two enormous grotesque hands gripped the underside of the truck, and began to lift. Vincent had little time to react, and did the only thing he could think of: he forced his body even further back into the huge wheel, and gripped the axle with all his strength. When the truck lifted, he was lifted with it, and it took a great deal of awkward flexing and twisting to keep his lower body from falling below the cover of the wheel. He held his breath, and was enormously relieved when the top of the truck bumped into its neighbor, preventing it from tipping any further. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. There was a pause as the truck hovered there at an almost forty-five degree angle, and Vincent could see the shadow of the twisted head trying to look underneath. His chest burned from not breathing, and he was desperately trying to plan some kind of counter if the guard found him, when abruptly the truck was dropped back down. Vincent was so surprised he nearly got his head crushed when the shocks absorbed the drop, but he went limp just in time. A moment later he heard his stalker land on the other side of the garage, then the sounds of lifting once more. Vincent rolled out and quickly stood up, summoning another spectral hand. It failed. Vincent barely stopped himself from screaming in frustration, and he tried again as the sound of a truck dropping to the ground echoed throughout the garage. Vincent gritted his teeth and focused, and a moment later he was reaching through the door and pulling down on the shifter, moving the truck into neutral. Another thud nearby, and Vincent dove underneath the neighboring vehicle. He just kept moving, knowing his distraction was now completely out of his hands. The garage floor was at a slight incline, and soon the truck¡¯s mass would have it rolling backward toward the huge garage door, and Vincent needed to be ready to make his escape when the moment came. Another thud, and another series of creaks as the guard methodically checked under each truck. Vincent waited until he was sure the man was in the middle of lifting before he rapidly crawled back to the first row of parked vehicles. Looking back, he saw what he¡¯d been hoping for, as one of the trucks was now creeping ever so slowly backward. Vincent hurriedly rolled to the last harvester in line, and waited. Less than a minute later an resounding crash echoed like a gong as the truck collided with the garage door. He didn¡¯t wait, rolling out and scrambling to the door, still staying low. He turned the handle, then waited just long enough for one more thud, before he slipped out as soundlessly as he could. The moonlight made him feel naked after the comforting darkness he¡¯d been surrounded by moments before, and Vincent sprinted with reserves of energy he didn¡¯t know he possessed, relying on every drop of adrenaline to force him forward. He disappeared behind the nearest building, then started weaving. He made every turn he could, while following a generally Eastward route toward the training yard. He had no illusion that the guard would stay in the garage for long, and his first priority was to prevent any kind of easy line of sight from revealing him to the dogged hunter. At last he saw it, the two intersecting buildings and the sandy court between them. He just barely had the presence of mind to approach from the side that didn¡¯t have a camera on it, and soon he was digging and shifting weights, revealing his small hideout. Finally he slipped inside, and hastily blocked the entrance once more. It was a sign of just how scared and burnt out he was that this tiny metal coffin beneath immovable weights actually felt like a sanctuary, and his claustrophobia was surprisingly quiet for once. For several minutes he didn¡¯t even move, just lay breathing the stale, reeking air that smelled like paradise. He was safe. He would stay here until morning, then sneak back to the dorm. He could call his crew and let them know when they¡¯d be leaving. It didn¡¯t leave much time to complete the other¨C THUD. Vincent¡¯s heart seemed to stop in his chest. ¡°The garage was clever,¡± came the deep voice in a horrible semblance of a whisper. ¡°I couldn¡¯t smell anything but engine oil and gas in there.¡± The so-called immovable weights above Vincent began to shift. ¡°This is less clever, and our little game is over!¡± The weights rose into the air, a massive iron plate in each of the guard¡¯s hands so big he needed to raise his arms over his head to get them completely out of the sand. Suddenly Vincent was exposed¡­but in a way, so was his pursuer. The eight foot monstrosity was right in front of him, balancing on a single, mutated leg, the other dangling uselessly next to it, and both his hands were full. Vincent knew this was his only chance to do any kind of damage, and could only assume his attacker had no idea what he was capable of. Vincent didn¡¯t waste a single second, as two green spectral fists appeared. He didn¡¯t see the guard¡¯s reaction to his powers, as he immediately sent his left through the healthy, bulging knee right in front of him, destabilizing it at a molecular level. His right fist followed, entirely tangible and with all the force Vincent could summon. The knee buckled, making a sickening series of pops and snaps as bone and tendon gave way. The monster collapsed as the joint bent in the wrong direction from the extraordinary weight of the two plates pulling him forward. Expecting¨Cand praying¨Cfor this, Vincent let his own momentum carry him through the guard''s legs, and he rolled across the sand as the giant collapsed behind him. Not fooling himself for a second, Vincent was up and running again before the man¡¯s pained scream even reached him. A cacophony of roars and swearing followed Vincent as he sprinted to the North, trying to force his exhausted mind to come up with yet another desperate plan. Suddenly an explosion erupted from a building just ahead of him, and he glanced back to see the guard dragging his broken legs at an impressive pace. The monstrous form paused again after a moment to point a glowing orange hand in Vincent¡¯s direction, and this time he could feel the heat in the air as something flew past him to explode again some distance off. Okay, Vincent thought, I have a plan. There was something almost liberating about having so few options. He had nowhere left to hide but his dorm, and this freak could apparently smell him, which meant there was no scenario in which Vincent survived this where his pursuer wasn¡¯t already dead. Fine. Try to catch me then, asshole, he thought with stubbornness he hadn¡¯t realized he possessed. He knew he was probably going to die tonight, but he was past being scared. He¡¯d been trapped in a tiny drawer with a dead body, he¡¯d been hunted across campus, and he¡¯d made three desperate escapes; he¡¯d used up all his fear. Plus¡­he had people counting on him. Vincent ran faster. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU! YOU¡¯RE ALREADY DEAD!¡± roared the guard, but Vincent barely heard him. He only needed two things right now, and he refused to think about anything else as he wove between buildings, not caring about cameras any longer. He needed an excuse to get everyone out of his dorm, so he would no longer be an outlier, then he needed to get this persistent son of a bitch to follow him to the North side of campus. The first part took care of itself almost the second he emerged into the courtyard in front of the dorm. ¡°DIE!¡± the monster screamed, and Vincent dove to the ground. A second later the corner of the building he called home erupted in flames, and he could hear a fire alarm blaring only a few seconds later. He had no time to celebrate, however, as he couldn¡¯t risk the madman killing the students by mistake, and so he was up and running only a moment later. Vincent could hear the scrambling sound of two enormous hands violently pulling his pursuer behind him, and he resumed his weaving through campus. His destination wasn¡¯t far at a dead run, and by this point only his superhuman constitution was making that pace possible. Another explosion erupted ahead of him, and Vincent pivoted to turn down another alley. So close, so close, he thought as his body threatened to fail him. He ran past the spot that Gary had ambushed him, what felt like a lifetime ago, and was grateful to discover that the patrols in this area had been pulled to one of the many disasters he and his new friend had created this night. Another explosion and another pivot. More pain, his legs stumbling, his lungs threatening to burst in his chest. And then he saw it. The last buildings disappeared behind him as he approached a solitary shed, tucked into a copse of trees. Vincent made a glance behind, knowing this part of the plan required him to be at least a few seconds ahead of his pursuer. Seeing nothing, he continued his run, barely managing to summon a spectral hand in his exhaustion. As he approached the shed, he sent the hand flying in front of him as a projectile, and the door burst open from the impact. Blue light poured out, and Vincent dove head first into bushes, then scrambled around to the back of the back of the structure. Another explosion rang out, but this one seemed to have barely been aimed at all as a part of the North wall glowed with a ring of fire. ¡°What the hell is going on out there?¡± came a surprised voice from within, and Vincent shook his head in regret as he braced himself. Sorry Clint, he thought as he risked a glance around the corner of the building, back the way he¡¯d come. The ghastly form of the injured guard dragging himself forward was barely visible through the trees and brush, but Vincent couldn¡¯t look away. ¡°What in God¡¯s name are you!?¡± Clint shouted in shock as he stepped outside, but the guard¡¯s only reaction was another scream as he hurled himself forward, colliding with Clint and tumbling into the shed. ¡°WHERE IS HE¨C¡± the now familiar voice roared, but it was too late. Vincent was already up and running, expecting what came next, but found he wasn¡¯t truly prepared as several things happened at once. Blue light burst from the shed as dozens of devices discharged electricity into the intruder at once, and the guard screamed with pain as a burning explosion joined the light show. Vincent was thrown over twenty feet from the resulting eruption. He¡¯d known Clint stored countless devices and power sources in the small shed, and some were clearly quite volatile. Vincent lay on the ground, gasping and wheezing, smoke in his burning lungs and acid in his veins. He stared at the crater that had been Clint¡¯s shed, half-expecting the mutilated body of the guard to emerge once more, but it didn¡¯t. The guard and the old Tech were both dead, and Vincent had to move. He tore off the red mask at last, tossing it into the fire before he began limping slowly away. This time, it was really over. Chapter 14: Anyone But Me When Gods war in the streets¡­ It took Vincent longer to get back to his dorm than he would have liked, but he had no choice in the matter. He had to hide from guard patrols several times; the entire campus was seemingly filled with them. There were flashlights and gruff voices everywhere. He also needed to clean up a little. Vincent had accumulated too much filth, blood, and scorch marks to hide it all, but he needed it to look like this state was due to the fire in the dorm, and not a dozen close calls with a raging super. Thankfully Vincent had seen that the raging guard¡¯s attack had hit a section of the building with washrooms, so a combination of puddle water and scrubbing made it look like he¡¯d been splashed by ruptured pipes after avoiding a fire. Truthfully he was prepared for his disguise to be inadequate, but once he saw the group of students¨Cstill gathered outside, despite the fire being reduced to smoke and embers¨Che realized he¡¯d fit right in. Evidently the fire hadn¡¯t been contained as quickly as he expected, and a fairly large chunk of the second floor of the building was in ruins. At least a dozen other students looked as ragged as Vincent did, and he quietly slipped among them, hoping not to draw too much attention. He waited as patiently as he could, though his entire body was a mix of nothing but pain and exhaustion, and he knew if he even leaned against a wall he¡¯d likely fall asleep until morning. He kept his mind somewhat focused listening to the debates around him. ¡°I¡¯m telling you it was Cedric, that guy is obsessed with fire. He thinks if he plays with it enough he¡¯ll Manifest fire powers¡± ¡°No way, dude. Are you blind? Look at the building. You think some matches did that? There¡¯s a shattered brick wall.¡± ¡°It could be both, man. Maybe Cedric did Manifest fire powers. A super could definitely mess up a brick wall.¡± ¡°What are you guys talking about? It was an explosion! Didn¡¯t you hear it?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything, we¡¯re North ward, you can¡¯t hear shit back there.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one explosion. There were a bunch, trust me.¡± ¡°Shut up, Eric, you¡¯re North ward too.¡± Vincent let the words wash over him, barely registering what they were saying. No one said ¡®It was Villari being chased by a psycho super-guard,¡¯ so he felt he wasn¡¯t missing anything important. It took almost an hour before the guards declared the dorm was safe for most of the students to go back in. ¡®A little smoke won¡¯t hurt Adepts¡¯, apparently. Vincent followed the procession slowly inside, noting that at least a dozen students were still milling around, apparently not having rooms safe enough to go back to. He put them out of his mind, just grateful he hadn¡¯t gotten anyone killed. The more time passed since the chase, the more insane it seemed to him. His own actions had been increasingly dangerous and out of character, and he swore he would remember this night as a lesson in how his own behavior could be as unreliable as anyone else¡¯s. Scared people make bad decisions, he thought wryly. Then at last opened the door to his room, prepared to pass out immediately. He froze, however, with one foot inside. Eric Palmer was sitting at his desk, head in his hands. Vincent did a double take, glancing back the way he came, then shut the door behind him. This should be good, he thought as Eric looked up. He¡¯d been crying. ¡°I can explain!¡± the intruder practically yelled, standing up and holding his hands up in a pacifying gesture. ¡°Just let me explain!¡± Vincent looked longingly at his bed, then out a slow sigh. ¡°Okay, explain.¡± Two Days Earlier Danny was taking a Vince-cation, and the world felt a little brighter. He looked around the cafeteria, taking in the sights of a couple hundred teenagers just being idiots together. You could almost believe this was a normal school, filled with normal kids, and that they weren¡¯t just spending every day waiting for something horrible to happen. ¡°It¡¯s sick, isn¡¯t it?¡± Emi asked from across the table, and he looked back at her in confusion. ¡°Huh?¡± he said ¡°Everyone¡¯s just acting like nothing happened, like Annissa didn¡¯t just die, and that an NGG certified Hero didn¡¯t just paralyze a nice kid,¡± she said, while waving a spoonful of cereal around. ¡°Oh¡­yeah. I was thinking something along the same lines. Vince would probably say it¡¯s the NGG¡¯s fault for programming us this way. I¡¯m not sure though,¡± he responded, thinking. ¡°Vincent would be right,¡± Lucia said from his left. ¡°We¡¯re all just potential soldiers, or nothing. Everyone here has been told every day of their lives that we belong to the New Global Government; they probably just see Annissa as someone who wasn¡¯t patriotic enough.¡± Danny sighed. Lucia was an increasingly tremendous bummer each day. It wasn¡¯t that he blamed her for it, or even thought she should be behaving differently. He just missed the old Lucia. The one who didn¡¯t depress the shit out of him. ¡°Like I said, I see it differently,¡± he repeated, and she looked at him curiously. ¡°I think they just want to be kids. And why wouldn¡¯t they? We all know we¡¯re one crappy day away from something terrible. We could get sent to the army, or some douchebag could point at us during a power demonstration,¡± he ended sadly. Great, now I¡¯m depressing the shit out of me. ¡°Or Legacy could have accidentally crushed us with his little trick with the floating army trucks,¡± Emi added. ¡°I heard that happened at one of the other farms.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Danny said, wishing this didn¡¯t bother him so much. ¡°Legacy would never do that, not even by accident. Just because Ironfist is a piece of shit, doesn¡¯t mean Legacy is too.¡± He looked back and forth between Emi and Lucia. Please just let me have this, he thought. Emi was about to open her mouth, but Danny saw Lucia shake her head slightly. He made himself take a deep breath, trying to calm down as he went back to eating his eggs. Was it so much to ask to just be allowed to believe in one good hero? No one was going to believe that Danny could be a good hero if they didn¡¯t even trust Legacy. That guy¡¯s PR department made him look like Jesus in a super suit. And it wasn¡¯t all nonsense, Danny was sure of it. That guy fought the Invaders for God¡¯s sake. He was the Great Hero¡¯s ward! He had to be for real. He had to be. Lucia tried to change the subject. ¡°So you¡¯re trying to avoid Vincent, and you still came to breakfast?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s been showing up late, to smuggle out leftovers,¡± Danny replied. ¡°Plus I can just say harvester duty is delayed today.¡± ¡°I thought you guys were like, best friends or something,¡± Emi said, ¡°or more¡­¡± she added suggestively. ¡°Nah Vince isn¡¯t my type,¡± Danny replied. ¡°I like ¡®em dumb¡± he said, while making an exaggerated wink back at Emi, who chucked a piece of cereal in his face. He ate it. Classic power move. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends, but Vincent has an intensity level that¡¯s challenging even when he¡¯s not¡­doing what he¡¯s currently doing,¡± he finished cryptically. ¡°Danny deserves a day off,¡± Lucia said. ¡°Harvester duty sounds awful, and if even the monsters running this place think students need a break, it must be worse than it sounds.¡± Danny didn¡¯t want to talk about harvesting, so he was relieved when he noticed something strange. ¡°Lucia, why has Elena been both avoiding you, and staring at you pretty much nonstop?¡± Lucia glanced over at the nearby table, seeing her friend sitting with a small group of other girls. ¡°Elena¡¯s been¡­distant since I Manifested,¡± she said sadly. ¡°We used to talk every day, but I don¡¯t think she knows how to handle this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably more than that,¡± Emi said casually from across the table, and Lucia looked at her in surprise. ¡°You know, Kristy¡¯s bullshit,¡± Emi responded to the questioning stare. Lucia looked annoyed, but also curious. ¡°What¡¯s Kristy been saying, exactly?¡± she asked. ¡°Oh¡­I wouldn¡¯t worry about it. She¡¯s just bitter,¡± Emi replied hastily, but Danny was already shaking his head. Emi would soon learn that Lucia didn¡¯t let things go. Neither Villari would, really, though Lucia might give you a little time to think she had before springing a trap when you least expected it. Not this time. ¡°What the hell did she say?¡± Lucia demanded, and Emi looked a bit irritated with the tone. Danny didn¡¯t know the new girl well before Vincent accepted her into their plucky crew, but he could already tell she was someone Lucia was going to have a hard time bullying. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Fine,¡± Emi said with resignation. ¡°She said you faked your Manifestation to get out of fighting her,¡± she held out a hand to cut off Lucia¡¯s immediate objection. ¡°But, when the faculty showed up and it became obvious that you weren¡¯t faking, she looked like an idiot, so she said a bunch of worse things.¡± Emi paused, and when Lucia just huffed and nodded, she continued, ¡°Just don¡¯t shoot the messenger, okay? Kristy said the only reason you Manifested was because you were doing¡­¡¯favors¡¯ for the guards, in exchange for more Gamma.¡± Lucia¡¯s jaw dropped, and she turned to stare daggers at Kristy, who was sitting on the other side of Elena. ¡°Please tell me no one believes that crap. Of all people I can¡¯t believe Elena would, I thought were friends.¡± If anything, Emi now looked more uncomfortable. ¡°Well, in Elena¡¯s defense, she actually stuck up for you, but that just made Kristy bully her instead. I think Elena has been trying to get back into her good graces ever since. You¡¯re supposed to be leaving after all, and I doubt she wants to be Kristy¡¯s next punching bag.¡± Lucia glared at her, ¡°I¡¯m not a punching bag. Kristy literally hates me because of how many times I¡¯ve beaten her in Self-Defense Class.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lucia,¡± Danny said in his the most consoling voice he could use without pissing her off. ¡°You¡¯ve been here forever and everyone knows you. You¡¯re the last person people would believe was Gamma-banging.¡± Both Emi and Lucia turned to stare at him, looking furious. What did I say? ¡°¡®Gamma-banging¡¯, what the hell is wrong with you?¡± Emi asked. ¡°What? That¡¯s what the guys call it. Well, I guess they usually say ¡®don¡¯t do it, bro, she¡¯s just a Gamma-banger,¡¯¡± he looked between the two stunned girls. ¡°Why, what do you call it?¡± ¡°Nothing! No one talks like that, you gross, creep!¡± Emi said, and kicked him in the shin under the table. ¡°Ow! What the hell? I was being nice!¡± Danny said defensively. ¡°I specifically said Lucia wasn¡¯t a Gamma-banger!¡± ¡°Stop saying it!¡± Lucia said in an impressively high voice. Then she paused, ¡°Hey, what do you mean I¡¯m the last person people think would do¡­that?¡± she asked. This is going poorly for me, Danny thought. ¡°This is going poorly for me,¡± he declared. ¡°Oh look, it¡¯s almost time for class. Catch up later!¡± he called, then hurried outside. *** The rest of Danny¡¯s day off went by way too fast. He went to a couple of classes, including Hero studies, which was on Legacy¡¯s time in the Psychic war. Dark stuff, but Danny still thought the guy seemed like he was just doing his best. It wasn¡¯t his fault the NGG was a corrupt bunch of a-holes. Danny decided to pretend that life was normal for a little while, and hung out with the friends who didn¡¯t really like Vincent. They worked out, played soccer, talked about girls, and which instructors were the worst. That was always a tough debate. It was a good day, he considered, as he walked back toward his dorm, enjoying the cool air. He was even able to forget for a moment that he was working so hard to throw his future away. Danny hated thinking of it like that, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He was going to save Lucia, he¡¯d already made up his mind about that. He¡¯d known her for years, and she was like a sister to him. She¡¯d even been his first crush, though he¡¯d gotten past that. It was a fair price to pay and he was proud that he hadn¡¯t hesitated, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t feel the sting. No matter how much Vincent poked holes in it, Danny had dreamed of joining a superhero team since he was a kid. And when the NGG doctors told his parents he was an Adept, it had suddenly seemed like an obtainable goal. With all the stuff that happened with his family after that¡­well it became more of an obsession. There are good heroes, he told himself for the millionth time. *** Danny woke up early, as much as he hated it, knowing that he¡¯d be in serious trouble if he didn¡¯t make it to harvester duty on time. He¡¯d already been late once before, and Captain Donovan had told him he¡¯d be kicked off the roster if it happened again. Vincent would be furious if that happened. Plus the plan and stuff. The sun was barely up as he made his way to the garage, yawning the whole way. He was already dreaming of the sandwiches they got to eat at lunch. It was batshit-crazy that they had to skip breakfast for this nightmare duty, and Danny kept wondering why anyone not trying to escape would take this job. He supposed the extra Gamma rations must be worth it to the people without a tiny bully forcing them to stash theirs, but for Danny it was just a day of hungry torture. As he lined up with the seven other students in his detail, he wondered absently if Gamma was really as addictive as his friend claimed. He¡¯d been too young to take it when he and Vincent had met, and the few times he¡¯d tried it since, it had just been uncomfortable. He couldn¡¯t even ask his other friends, as then he¡¯d have to admit he wasn¡¯t taking his. Still, a lot of people on it seemed fine, and he envied how easily a lot of the other guys put on bulk in the gym. Captain Donovan was pacing back and forth, looking them over and tapping on his K-Device. He wasn¡¯t as bad as Malary or some of the other guards, but he was pretty no-nonsense, and Danny worked hard to stay on his good side. At last the short, dark-skinned man looked up at them. ¡°Alright, straight to the lab, then on the truck. Move it, kids.¡± The eight of them jogged lightly to the nearby building. ¡®The lab¡¯ was as gray as every other structure in this shithole, and inside it was just a single change room and a washroom. It was all unisex, since they were only putting gear over their school clothes. Danny forced himself to look at every corner though, knowing Vincent would want details on top of details. In only a couple of minutes they were changed and ready, and Donovan quickly activated the beeping explosives on their harnesses, then hustled them onto the truck. It was pretty cramped, with four students per bench on each side, and Danny tried to get a little more sleep. It was tough on the bumpy road, but soon they hit the high-speed rails and it was comfortably smooth. Even at a couple hundred miles an hour, it was a long trip, and dreams of sandwiches were preferable to staring around the dimly lit truck interior. Unfortunately, it was one of those days. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Legacy made him do it,¡± said the somewhat nasally voice of Eric Palmer. ¡°Ironfist is a total badass, and I¡¯ve followed his career for years. He single-handedly stopped Magmablade from wiping out half of Colorado. The only reason he¡¯d mess with some kids was if they deserved it¨C¡± ¡°You think Annissa deserved it?¡± Glenn Stevenson asked with shock. ¡°No! Let me finish. He¡¯d only have done it if they deserved it¨Cwhich they didn¡¯t, obviously¨Cor if Legacy ordered him to!¡± Why? Danny thought, rage bubbling up. Why here too? Why couldn¡¯t everyone just leave it alone? He tried to stay quiet, but in truth his silence barely lasted a second. ¡°Just shut the hell up, Palmer! You only ever talk out of your ass, and I¡¯m tired of you stinking up this tiny truck,¡± Eric¡¯s face was hard to see through the small plastic faceplate in his baggy white suit, but he looked more surprised than upset. ¡°Geeze, Danny, Villari isn¡¯t even here to impress and you¡¯re still this much of a loud jackass? Legacy¡¯s a big boy; he doesn¡¯t need your lanky ass defending him,¡± Danny had a great comeback, he totally did, but he angrily stayed quiet, knowing it didn¡¯t really matter. He pushed his head back against the truck¡¯s cold metal wall. There had to be good heroes. Vincent was wrong. His parents¡­his parents were wrong. He¡¯d prove it some day. Even if he couldn¡¯t be an NGG certified Hero, he¡¯d find his own way. Then¡­then maybe they¡¯d let him come home. He woke up when the truck came to a stop, though he hadn¡¯t realized he was falling asleep. Donovan opened the door a few minutes later, after the guards had formed their perimeter, as usual. The students filed out, then went to retrieve their packs with the Alpha processors. There hadn¡¯t been much of an orientation, and Danny supposed they didn¡¯t really need it. The packs had big vacuum-like wands that hooked onto your right arm, with a gauge on them that displayed the Alpha particle density. You walked around in a storm, and when the gauge turned orange, it meant it was dense enough to turn them on and¡­suck, he guessed. Someone in a lab somewhere turned the raw Alpha into the fabled Gamma, but that had nothing to do with Danny or the harvest workers. The real challenge was how awful it was out here, and he knew it brought out the worst in him. Even Eric bringing up Legacy shouldn¡¯t have bothered him so much, but he hated the Radstorms so much. They seemed to be haunting him his whole life. It was a Radstorm that gave away that he was an Adept. There was a Radstorm the day the NGG took him away from his parents. Still, he had to admit that they bothered him less each time. Right now, he could barely see where they were, the storm was so thick. Some random street in New Technopolis, he figured, but it could have been anywhere in the world with how thick the green fog was. He could only see a few feet in front of him, and he just walked until he reached an obstacle. Walk, hit a wall, or a car, or one of the patrolling guards, then turn and wander in another direction. Every day he did this for four hours until sandwich time, then another four, then home. Boredom had a way of making things less frightening, he figured. He¡¯d taken to counting how many pivots he made¨Clike a ball bouncing in one of the pinball machines he¡¯d seen as a kid¨Cjust to keep from going insane. One, he thought, as he moved away from the truck, staring at the gauge. Beep, beep, beep, went the bomb that was normally terrifying, but was more infuriating today given his mood. Two, he thought, moving away from a car, and wandering to his left. The gauge spiked orange, and he held still for a minute as his machine quietly sucked up the particles in the area. Three, he counted, picking another direction at random. Four, he thought, as his foot bumped into something. It was hard to see downward with the bulky helmet, but the thing he¡¯d kicked was soft, so he pulled the mask tight to get a better look. It was a guard, and there was a bloody hole in the center of her chest. Danny took a few steps back, too panicked even to scream, then he bumped into something else. Whirling around, he came face to face with a man who looked more dead than alive. The man¡¯s clothes were ragged and filthy, and covered with blood. His skin looked like it may have been dark once, but all the color had been drained by years of Beta use, leaving it gray and sunken. ¡°Giveittomegiveittomegiveittome,¡± came a ragged whisper, and Danny¡¯s heart threatened to beat out of his chest. The man¡¯s hands rose up, and Danny could see his fingers ended in broken, splintered bones from scraping Beta remnants off of every possible surface for years. ¡°GIVE IT TO ME!¡± his voice suddenly roared, and those horrible fingers dug into Danny¡¯s flesh, as the addict slammed him to the ground. Danny couldn¡¯t breath, and he couldn¡¯t scream. His body was shaking, his chest was on fire, and the madman was tearing into him, seemingly trying to get the backpack by going through Danny. Where were the guards? Where was help? Where was a hero? He didn¡¯t know the origin of the thought, but as he stared at the monster ripping into him with those sharp, jagged bones, all he could think was: why can¡¯t I be someone else? Why can¡¯t I be anyone else? And then he felt it. His body was spasming, twisting, and the heat of his chest seemed to be spreading outward. He could feel the bones and muscles of his face changing. Chapter 15: Mimic When the storms rage as never before¡­ Danny was face to face with an abomination, the rabid Beta addict was trying to tear through his chest¨Cand yet he felt no pain. Instead his whole body quivered and shifted, and he found that his confusion was actually slightly greater than his terror. Finally he managed to scream¡­but he didn¡¯t recognize his own voice. ¡°HELP! Help me, please! Help!¡± he called, but in the dense green fog it felt like he was alone for miles in every direction. Danny tried to defend himself, pushing through the disturbing feeling of his own body feeling foreign, and he managed to jam the long, wand-like Alpha vacuum between himself and his crazed attacker. This only seemed to make the ashen-faced madman angrier, and he shifted to attacking the vacuum as if it were an entirely new enemy. Danny¡¯s arm felt like it would break as the two bloody, savaged hands tried to tear the device from him, but all at once the movement stopped, and for a second he was only aware of his ears ringing. The weight of the broken man fell onto Danny, and he was shocked by how light it felt. It was almost effortless to throw the addict off of him, and he quickly felt at his own chest, trying to assess the damage¡­but there was nothing. His suit and uniform were both ripped, but miraculously¨Cimpossibly¨Chis skin was whole. He saw the shadows of two guards stepping out of the fog. They both ignored Danny, one kicking the Beta addict who had several bullet holes in his back, and the other checking the downed guard. ¡°Shit, he killed Louis,¡± he pressed a finger to his ear. ¡°Team, we have a scavenger attack in Grid 3, report in.¡± At last the other guard moved away from the body, and gave Danny an appraising glance. ¡°Hurt?¡± was all he said, and Danny just shook his head, holding a hand over his chest. The front of his suit was clearly shredded though, and the guard tilted his head¨Chis face was impossible to read behind the military gas mask and helmet. ¡°Looks like he got you pretty good. If you weren¡¯t wearing such a baggy suit you¡¯d probably be shredded. Duct tape is in the truck, patch up, then back to work,¡± he said before turning to the other guard and looking for threats. Danny raced off toward the truck, happy to be away from the body of the man who¡¯d tried to hollow him out like a pumpkin. Everything was confusing though, and his mind raced in every direction. He was sure he felt his chest being raked by those awful fingers¨Cthe pain was still fresh in his mind. And his ears¨Cone second they were ringing like he¡¯d never hear again, and then they were fine. He got to the truck, and quickly found the tool box. He had the duct tape out in seconds, and started stretching it over his chest. He knew the storms shouldn¡¯t do anything to him as an Adept, but it was one thing to ¡®know¡¯ that, and another to see the green fog seeping into his suit. He paused, however, as he realized the guard had been right. His suit was loose now, though if anything it had been uncomfortably tight before because of Danny¡¯s height. What the hell was going on? Danny quickly finished patching his suit, then¨Cfeeling foolish¨Che quickly went to the truck¡¯s cab, and looked in the mirror. It was hard to see his own face through the small window of the baggy helmet, but he didn¡¯t need many adjustments before he caught a glimpse of his own hair¨Cwhich had gone from simple brown to spikey and blonde. Through the blur of the fog it wasn¡¯t as easy to make out his facial features, but it was still immediately clear that he wasn¡¯t looking at himself. He was looking at Eric Palmer. He nearly threw up in his mask as his chest heaved and heart faced. It wasn¡¯t that he looked like Eric in particular¨Cthough that did sting. There was something uncanny about looking in a mirror and seeing someone else¡¯s face. He immediately started pawing at himself blindly, as if trying to wipe off some food, but there wasn¡¯t any real logic or expectation behind it, he was just panicking. ¡°Hey!¡± Captain Donovan¡¯s voice called out. ¡°Get back to work, Mackenzie! I already lost a guard today, I damn well better not miss quota on top of it!¡± Something about the surety of the command snapped Danny¡¯s mind back into focus, and he hurriedly resumed his patrol. One, he counted, while his rapid breathing threatened to make him lose consciousness. Two, came the quiet thought, as his heart¨CEric¡¯s heart?¨Chammered in his chest. Three, am I losing my mind? Four. He passed Glenn, and could tell that he really was shorter than he had been. His gauge turned orange, and Danny mechanically switched on the vacuum. Though it made some horrible noises, clearly having been damaged in the attack, it still seemed to work. Danny woodenly continued his slow trek through an unseen street, feeling lost in a daze. Time passed, and his body slowly felt less foreign. Now it was more like he¡¯d woken up stiff from too much exercise, and stretching the muscles was providing some slow relief. The attack had been so sudden, and been interrupted by such crazy circumstances that it felt unreal somehow. Danny felt renewed alarm when he almost bumped into another student, and saw it was the real Eric Palmer. He tried to hide his face, but the other boy just mumbled ¡°sorry,¡± without looking up from his gauge. This job made them all into zombies Danny supposed. The rest of the day was comparatively uneventful. He skipped the sandwiches, although it was even harder than he expected, feeling like he was starving to death, but he wasn¡¯t willing to risk taking his mask off. He mumbled something to the Captain about being too freaked out to eat, and the man didn¡¯t even bother to reply. He spent the rest of the day trying to be himself again. He willed his body to change, thought about how he was supposed to look, tried to remember the exact feeling of his body shifting, but nothing worked. It was a nightmare, and Danny felt powerless. When they finally loaded back into the truck, he hurried to a corner and turned away. By now everyone knew that he¡¯d been attacked, and he refused to make a sound when a couple of the students prodded him about what had happened. Danny spent the entire ride home terrified of being found out, and trying to hide every inch of the face that wasn¡¯t his own. Thankfully everyone was in a hurry to get a late dinner when they arrived back at the Farm, and they¡¯d given up asking him questions. Danny lingered in the change room until he was the last one out, then raced across campus. Vincent will know what to do, he kept telling himself. His friend¡¯s dorm was empty when he got there, but that was fine. He devoured a bunch of the hoarded food, incapable of stopping himself, then just sat and waited. When the explosion rocked the building his panic reached new levels, only to be topped when a bunch of students started shouting ¡®fire¡¯. Danny resolved to wait until the last possible moment before leaving, knowing that Eric would be outside somewhere. He even had to do an embarrassing job of hiding under the desk, covered in laundry, when a guard started banging on doors and checking for students. Thankfully the man barely put his head through the door before turning around. *** ¡°After about an hour I figured I wasn¡¯t going to burn to death¡­though that may be better than being stuck as Eric Palmer for the rest of my life,¡± Danny finished, still refusing to look up, even after the long story had been told. Vincent looked back at his friend, his own exhausted mind barely able to handle the new information. He¡¯d been fighting his own fatigue for so long, but hearing the fear in his friend¡¯s voice¨Cwell, Eric¡¯s voice¨Cwas enough to keep him awake and lucid for a little while longer. He went and sat on the bed, looking at the person who was and wasn¡¯t Danny Mackenzie. Vincent opened his mouth to ask a question, then stopped himself. This is Danny, try harder. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°How¡­are you feeling?¡± he said instead. Eric¡¯s face turned to look at him with a decidedly Danny-like expression on his face. ¡°Not awesome?¡± he answered, and Vincent nodded in understanding. ¡°Have you checked your K-Device since you transformed?¡± he asked, now that he¡¯d been a good friend. Danny looked surprised, then fished the device out of a pocket. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t even think about it. I was focused on how to convince you I was really me,¡± he answered, while the device reset in his hands. A moment later his eyebrows rose. ¡°I¡¯m a¡­¡¯Mimic¡¯?¡± he said, with some confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that¡­whoa, it says it¡¯s a ¡®restricted¡¯ Class.¡± He looked up at Vincent, ¡°Since when are there ¡®restricted¡¯ Classes? How can you even restrict a Class? Don¡¯t we just manifest some power set then¡­you know, deal with it?¡± Vincent¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. That was a really good question. His own mind had immediately gone to the information being restricted, but that didn¡¯t make sense. He¡¯d been so caught up in Gary¡¯s attack and his own unusual abilities, that he hadn¡¯t stopped to consider what it meant. He knew this deserved deeper consideration, but honestly he wasn¡¯t capable of that right now. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that part later. What does your skill say?¡± Vincent asked. Danny spent a moment scrolling and reading, before his eyebrows went up. ¡°Whoa,¡± he said finally, and Vincent waited. When Danny still didn¡¯t speak, Vincent started to realize exactly how little patience he had at this moment. ¡°Danny, read it out loud,¡± he said in a less than friendly tone. ¡°Oh, sorry Vince. It¡¯s just¡­whoa,¡± he appeared to be reading it again silently, then finally shook his head with wonder. ¡°I can copy another person¡¯s appearance¨Cobviously¨Cbut that¡¯s not the cool part. My KD has something called ¡®Mastery¡¯, and it explains how the skill evolves.¡± Vincent nodded again, tempted to snatch the device from his friend¡¯s hand, but knowing that would shut the display off. ¡°Dude, it says that I¡¯ll be able to copy powers! Isn¡¯t that insane?¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes widened, and he forgot about sleep for a moment. That was insane. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that, before,¡± Vincent said, connecting dots in his head. His own Class information hadn¡¯t been complete, and didn¡¯t include information on how his skill would evolve. If Danny¡¯s did, that meant the NGG was definitely aware of Mimics¡­that was a sobering and disturbing thought. ¡°That could mean any Hero out there isn¡¯t really the Class we think they are!¡± Danny said, once more going down a different path from Vincent, but a valid one. ¡°Think about it¡­we might not have even met the real Legacy!¡± That sounded more like wishful thinking, but still: he wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°That¡¯s an incredible Class, Danny. I¡¯m really happy for you,¡± Vincent managed, again trying to channel his inner Lucia. ¡°Thanks!¡± Danny said with Eric¡¯s grin, then his face fell. ¡°But I still don¡¯t know how to change back. And it doesn¡¯t explain what happened when I manifested. I¡¯m sure my chest was cut up, but I was fine when I looked at it¡­¡± he trailed off, but Vincent had personal experience with this part, at least. ¡°That was just the Manifestation. Manifesting is essentially all your stored up energy bursting out at once. It unlocks your powers, and also throws your body into overdrive for a few minutes. Don¡¯t count on it happening again,¡± Vincent said, knowing Danny needed to hear the warning. ¡°Aww, lame. I was hoping I had super healing. I trip on just¡­so much stuff,¡± Danny replied, and Vincent smiled. It was good to see his friend making jokes again, he knew Danny had been through his own nightmare today, but he¡¯d get past it. Now they both needed sleep. ¡°There isn¡¯t much you can do right now, Danny. You¡¯re probably having trouble transforming because your powers aren¡¯t stable yet¨Cthe best thing you can do is go and get some sleep. I¡¯ll walk you back to your room, and make sure Eric doesn¡¯t see you. I bet you¡¯ll wake up as yourself. If not, we¡¯ll both be in better shape to deal with it tomorrow morning.¡± Danny nodded, stood up, then paused. ¡°Wait, how come you look like shit?¡± he asked. ¡°I had to kill a super guard today,¡± Vincent said, then moved toward the door. Danny¡¯s jaw fell open. *** Lucia waited until the cafeteria was clearing from breakfast, then found a spot near the door to linger. The students slowly started filing out as she pretended to read a book. She needed a lead, and she was running out of time. This was her best plan, and she would have been embarrassed if Vincent or her friends knew that. But the truth was that she¡¯d hit a deadend. People were already losing interest in the Gamma theft, and there hadn¡¯t been any new rumors. If she didn¡¯t solve this soon, it would be too late. So this was the plan. She was a Psychic, and proper telepath or not, listening for stray thoughts was the best shot she had. They came flooding in as she let herself relax her defenses, but it was the same as always: they were fragmented, and she had almost no sense of who was thinking what thoughts. Instructor Smythe is such a Legacy fangirl¡­ If he says one more word I¡¯m going kill him¡­ She is so damn hot, I bet if I told her¨C He¡¯s staring at me again. Creepy sack of¨C Gonna get her, gonna get her, gonna get her¡­ Please don¡¯t look at me, just keep reading¡­ Lucia¡¯s eyes came up at those last thoughts, and she looked over to see Kristy and Elena exiting at the same time. Kristy didn¡¯t even glance in her direction, but¡­but did she look stronger? Her uniform was tighter than Lucia remembered, and there was something else strange that Lucia couldn¡¯t place. Kristy glanced in her direction, and suddenly the thoughts were a scream. SHE KNOWS, SHE KNOWS! Lucia forced the smile from her lips, then looked back down at her book. A moment later though, she changed her mind. Kristy she could deal with later, but Elena was a conversation for now. She put a hand on the smaller girl¡¯s shoulder, and felt a shudder when she did. ¡°Oh, uh, hi Lucia,¡± said the brown haired girl that had been her friend for years. Had she really thrown it all away so quickly? ¡°Hey Elena, we keep missing each other. Neither of us have class right now, let¡¯s walk and catch up.¡± The girl glanced at Kristy who was striding away with clear purpose, then looked at her own shoes as she replied. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s¡­that¡¯s a great idea. We haven¡¯t talked since you¨Cwe haven¡¯t talked in a while. We should catch up,¡± Lucia smiled without warmth, then led Elena away from the rest of the students. ¡°So how have you been?¡± she asked with false cheer. ¡°Okay, I guess,¡± Elena replied, though her head was whipping side to side as if looking for an exit in the open courtyard. ¡°I would have thought you¡¯d want to congratulate me on Manifesting. I could be a Hero in a few years,¡± Lucia said. She had a small plan for this conversation, but it was mostly gambits. Even if Kristy was the one who took the Gamma¨Cthe only obvious explanation for her suddenly gaining so much muscle¨Cthat didn¡¯t mean Elena was part of it. ¡°Oh right, I just thought you¡¯d want¡­space, you know? I know you¡¯re not the biggest fan of the NGG, and well, I guess I should have checked in on you,¡± she finished. Lucia was trying to walk and stare at her former friend at the same time, and it was worth it. Elena had always been a bit awkward, but this was next level. Time to figure out which it was. Straining her Psychic senses as best as she could, Lucia started poking. ¡°So is Kristy the only one spreading these rumors about me, or have you helped?¡± Elena stopped short, and her eyes widened. ¡°I would never! Do you really think that little of me?¡± The girl seemed genuinely hurt, but Lucia was low on sympathy at the moment. ¡°So you only became best friends with the girl making a career out of trying to ruin my life? What little life I have left, that is.¡± Elena looked away, blushing. ¡°I tried to stand up for you, I swear. Kristy is just. She¡¯s jealous, you know? And you¡¯ll be gone soon, and I¡¯ll be alone, I just¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± They were still walking, and Lucia was still trying to get a sense of whether the girl was telling the truth. She just needed to hear one clear thought. Time to try something serious. ¡°I guess I just never realized how close you were,¡± she said, then focused as hard as she could. ¡°Next you two will be trading clothes. Kristy is pretty big, but I bet you two could still swap sweaters.¡± NO! The thought was a scream, and it took all the concentration Lucia had not to react. ¡°Look,¡± Elena said, sounding surprisingly calm, ¡°I apologized, and I meant it, but now I¡¯m going to go. Take it up with the person who you actually have a problem with, okay?¡± She brushed past Lucia. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to survive,¡± she muttered. Lucia let her go, and went to lean against a nearby tree. She let out a long sigh. That was so sloppy, I can¡¯t believe it worked, she thought. But it had. Elena knew. Just the word ¡®sweater¡¯ had been enough. Elena knew that the Gamma thief had worn a sweater as a makeshift mask. She knew it was Kristy. Chapter 16: Plans and Revelations When the Gamma burns like the sun¡­ Vincent was laying in bed, having just come back from evening meal. It had been a difficult day. He was still exhausted from last night¡¯s exploits, but forced himself to go to class and behave as normally as possible. This was even more challenging when all anyone wanted to talk about was the explosions all over campus. As usual, the faculty didn¡¯t bother telling the students anything, so rumors were everywhere. The prevailing theory was that a student had Manifested explosive powers then tried to escape. No one knew any details since everyone had been confined to windowless dorms, but that didn¡¯t stop the wild, wild speculation. Vincent had connected with Danny, of course, who fortunately was himself again. While it had taken a long time for his friend to fall asleep, his form had actually destabilized fairly soon after leaving. Back in his own body, his fun-loving nature had reasserted itself, and Danny was eagerly looking forward to exploring his new powers. He¡¯d get his chance. Vincent was waiting for the crew to show up to give their updates on the plan, and with his mind less scrambled he was considering everything that had happened the previous day. He¡¯d gone through so much in such a short time that he still felt overwhelmed. From learning about Last Chance Row, and the torturous future that so many students had in store for them, to ultimately causing the death of both an enraged super and a greedy old tech, it was too much to process right away. Instead he settled his mind on Danny¡¯s observations about restricted classes. There was something more here that he had never considered. Staying balanced had been a mantra to Vincent for so long that he hadn¡¯t turned his analytical mind toward the greater questions. What did the Gamma really do, and was it truly the only thing responsible for the fate he and his friends had been trying to avoid? He¡¯d assumed Gamma¡¯s ability to improve physical traits was at the core of it all. Too much strength and you went out of balance, and going out of balance led to Manifesting. Vincent had seen enough proof of that. It was also true that there were more strength-supers than any other kind, and that lined up as well. However, there were the occasional aberrations, even outside the NGG programs. It seemed obvious that Lucia¡¯s high empathy had led her down the path to Psychic, and Emi had confessed that above average intellect and ingenuity were likely responsible for her Tech Class. But where did restricted Classes fit in, and like Danny said: how do you restrict a class? Vincent had been turning the question over in his mind all day, and only had one conclusion: the K-Devices and harnesses somehow controlled which Class you were able to receive. This was against all the propaganda and even the meager education they received at the farms. The NGG claimed anyone could be any kind of hero, and it was the hard workers and coincidentally the patriotic who received the truly rare and powerful ones. But it seemed like the truth was as insidious as Vincent should have expected. The New Global Government controlled it all. Vincent opened his own K-Device, and frowned at the display. Name: Vincent Villari Class: Specter [Restricted] Rank: Initiate 1 [Recently Manifested] Primary Attribute: Intellect Unlocked Abilities: Phantasm (**Rank 2) Physicality: Mind: He was pleasantly surprised to see that his night of mad scrambling and quick thinking had rewarded him with improved attributes. He also seemed to be advancing more easily than he had before gaining a Class, which was as expected, but still appreciated. That his Phantasm skill had improved was the real news, but his KD had flagged the change in a way he didn¡¯t recognize. Tapping down into the ability, he was disappointed to find that instead of unlocking some powerful new function, he was actually being given a warning. Warning: ability strain detected. Overuse of abilities while in a [Recently Manifested] state can be damaging. Overall power instability has increased. Time until power stabilization has increased. Please consult a Manifestation Physician for more information. That was unfortunate. It looked like the farm¡¯s policies about limiting power use after Manifestation wasn¡¯t entirely baseless. Still, it had been worth it, and there didn¡¯t seem to be permanent harm for now. He¡¯d just need to be more careful, and hopefully live a less interesting life for a while after they escaped. A knock at the door ended his considerations, and with some effort he hauled his bruised and weakened body out of bed. Danny and the two girls came in without a word¨Cthe dorm rooms had so much concrete between them that they were essentially soundproof, but they didn¡¯t like to draw attention to their meetings when the thick steel door was open. It took a minute for everyone to get comfortable in the small room, but eventually they were in their customary spots. Danny was at the desk, the girls were side by side on the bed, and Vincent was at the wall with a marker. ¡°Can I tell them now?¡± Danny said with a grin, and Vincent sighed. ¡°Just wait a few minutes, I don¡¯t want to derail everything, and there¡¯s a lot to talk about,¡± Emi and Lucia looked suspicious, so Vincent hurried on to forestall the exact derailment he was trying to avoid. ¡°Let¡¯s do our update,¡± he said, before writing the familiar to-do list on the board.
  1. Distraction (Vincent)
  2. Escape Method (Danny)
  3. Gamma theft (Lucia)
  4. Harnesses (Emi)
With some considerable satisfaction¨Cand a bit of theatricality, he admitted to himself¨Che slowly crossed off ¡®Distraction¡¯. He turned back to the room, and saw mixed reactions from the crew. Danny looked back and forth for a moment. ¡°Um, do we clap?¡± he asked, and Vincent deflated a little. ¡°We can hold the applause. The important thing is that I¡¯ve arranged for a distraction. I¡¯ve also confirmed our exit date: we have thirteen days.¡± This sparked a reaction, as everyone began talking at once. Vincent waved them to quiet, then gestured at Lucia, who appeared the most upset. ¡°We started with three months, what¡¯s changed? And if we¡¯re pulling in the date, why not pull it in by a few more days to avoid the NGG Psychics?¡± she asked with obvious annoyance. ¡°We had three months at most, but we need to get out of here as quickly as possible. Every day that passes increases the chance of something going wrong. As to this particular date, it¡¯s not arbitrary, it¡¯s the only time the distraction is possible.¡± It was Emi¡¯s turn to be annoyed, ¡°When are you going to tell us exactly what this distraction is? Why the hell are you being so secretive about it?¡± Vincent had expected this question, but held some hope it wouldn¡¯t come up. A sigh escaped him. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s part of the arrangement I made with the¡­distraction,¡± he finished lamely. ¡°The distraction is a person?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°I truly can¡¯t say anything more. We¡¯re all trusting each other with this plan every day, and I need you to trust me with this. As long as we¡¯re on harvester duty in thirteen days with disabled harnesses, there will be an escape window.¡± Emi and Lucia looked at each other with shared disapproval, but Danny was clearly just waiting for his turn. Not yet, Danny. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Okay, thank you. Lucia, we have just over a week before our unwelcome visitors are supposed to arrive, please tell me you have good news,¡± his sister smiled triumphantly, and even Danny looked curious. ¡°Oh I have news alright: it was Kristy Woods,¡± she said, then looked around the room expectantly. ¡°I really feel like you two want us to clap,¡± Danny said. ¡°Seriously, right?¡± Emi added. ¡°Who knew you two were such divas?¡± It was Lucia¡¯s turn to look deflated. ¡°Well, I did solve a crime! And I can actually talk about it,¡± she added with a pointed look at Vincent. ¡°I thought it was at least worth a ¡®good work, Lucia¡¯.¡± She looked back and forth between Vincent and Emi, who both looked skeptical. Finally she looked at Danny, who gave a confused clap. Vincent spoke up, ¡°You think it was Kristy Woods who took the Gamma,¡± he said in a flat, doubting tone. ¡°Your rival,¡± Emi added, ¡°And the girl who¡¯s been spreading mean rumors about you.¡± Her tone was so dry it was practically an accusation, but Vincent knew it needed to be said, and he was a little relieved he hadn¡¯t needed to be the one to say it. ¡°Well, yes!¡± Lucia said angrily. ¡°But that has nothing to do with why I think it was¨Cwhy I know it was her!¡± Emi looked at Vincent, an eyebrow raised. ¡°Alright,¡± Vincent said in what he hoped was a comforting tone. ¡°How did you¡­figure out it was her?¡± Lucia looked anything but comforted. ¡°By doing exactly what you told me to do!¡± she said with fury. ¡°What happened to trust? Or did you really mean we should all trust you, while the rest of us just fall in line?¡± Vincent looked around the room for help, but none was forthcoming. ¡°We trust you, Lucia, but this is a little¡­coincidental? We just want to understand how Kristy gave herself away,¡± he said as gently as he was able. ¡°With her God damned thoughts!¡± she shouted while standing up from the bed. Uh oh. ¡°I did exactly what you told me to do! I went around using these powers that I hate, and I heard her basically admit it!¡± Vincent was trying to signal his sister to stop, but he knew it was too late. It took a long pause before Lucia noticed Emi staring at her, mouth hanging open. ¡°You¡¯re a Psychic?¡± Emi said in a high pitched voice, and Lucia paled. ¡°I¡¯ve been hanging around with a mind-reader, outlawed by the NGG, and no one thought to tell me that?¡± she asked, sounding angrier than Lucia had been a moment earlier. Lucia backed away, horror on her face, and her hand reaching up for her mouth as if to silence herself after the fact. Vincent¡¯s mind raced as he tried to think of how to defuse this situation. ¡°We didn¡¯t tell you,¡± Danny said sadly, ¡°because we didn¡¯t want you looking at Lucia exactly the way you are right now.¡± Somehow that simple statement changed the whole atmosphere in the room, and Emi immediately went from anger to embarrassment. ¡°Oh¡­right¡­I,¡± she paused, appearing to collect herself. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry, Lucia. I can imagine what you¡¯ve been going through, and I¡¯m not some NGG patriot who assumes all Psychics are mind-stealing demons. But everyone keeps talking about trust, and you¡¯ve all been keeping secrets from me.¡± No one spoke up immediately, given the fairness of the point, and Emi added to it a moment later. ¡°Not to mention, this secret could get me sent to prison. Everyone who¡¯s ever been stuck in a Power Farm has probably thought about escape before, but hiding a Psychic? Prison might be the lucky outcome.¡± ¡°No one is going to prison,¡± Vincent said definitively, ¡°because no one is getting caught.¡± Everyone exchanged glances for a moment, but the tension in the room seemed to have lessened. Emi gestured for Lucia to sit back down beside her, and his sister looked grateful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you, Emi,¡± she said. ¡°I promise we were going to, everything is just moving so quickly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it in our dorm later, without the audience,¡± Emi replied. Then she looked more serious, ¡°So¡­you heard Kristy thinking about how she took the Gamma?¡± Lucia immediately went back to looking uncomfortable. ¡°Well, not exactly,¡± she admitted, and the others exchanged looks. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, okay? I was¡­listening, and I heard her think, threats¡­sort of.¡± She stood back up, and tried to pace in the tiny room. ¡°It¡¯s so complicated, it¡¯s hard to explain!¡± ¡°Try,¡± Vincent prodded. This was far too important for a hunch¡­or a grudge. Lucia glared at him. ¡°She looked right at me and I heard, ¡®She knows!¡¯¡± ¡°¡®She knows¡¯ what?¡± Danny asked with open confusion. ¡°She was looking at me, so she was thinking that I know the truth!¡± Lucia looked around the room expectantly. ¡°The truth that she took the Gamma, obviously!¡± When everyone still looked skeptical, Lucia balled her firsts and let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a scream. ¡°You weren¡¯t there! I told you it¡¯s hard to explain,¡± she said pleadingly. ¡°And then I confronted Elena, who was being totally shifty, and when I mentioned Kristy and sweaters, her thoughts went crazy and she practically ran away!¡± Vincent put a finger to his lips, considering. ¡°That¡¯s¡­something more,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t get to dramatically cross out your line like Vincent did,¡± Danny said, shrugging his shoulders. Vincent sent a quick glare in Danny¡¯s direction, who just smiled back. ¡°We trust you, Lucia, and if you need help, we¡¯re here. Just keep digging, and follow up on your lead. If Kristy took the Gamma, there¡¯s bound to be proof.¡± Emi was nodding, ¡°Like a giant bag of Gamma somewhere, sure. Just¡­you know, don¡¯t give up on other possibilities yet.¡± Lucia was fuming, but managed a nod. ¡°Okay!¡± Danny said brightly. ¡°This feels like a great time to talk about literally anything else, so how about I go next?¡± Vincent had planned to turn to Emi next, but frankly he agreed with his friend¡¯s assessment. ¡°Go ahead, Danny,¡± he said, and the taller boy stepped up strangely close to him. ¡°Um, what are you¡­¡± Vincent trailed off as Danny started holding his breath, and his face turned red with strain. Emi spoke into the awkward near-silence. ¡°Are you two fighting¡­or do you need some privacy?¡± Vincent ignored the question, but kept silent when he noticed Danny¡¯s skin begin to ripple and shift. In moments, his friend¨Cseveral inches taller than him¨Cwas eye to eye. More than that, those eyes were brown and green, like his own. The hair darkened, and the skin tone shifted, and all of sudden he was looking at himself. It was a strange experience, and the image seemed reversed, and slightly off compared to what Vincent was used to from mirrors. ¡°What the shit!¡± Emi said, and Lucia said something similar at almost the same time. ¡°Now someone better clap,¡± Danny said in Vincent¡¯s voice, then turned and took a bow. When he got back up and saw that the girls looked horrified and Vincent looked disapproving, he looked perplexed. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I meant go ahead and tell them!¡± Vincent said in disbelief, and he watched his own face take on a look of contrition that he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Oh,¡± Danny said, looking from one person to the next. ¡°Okay, so cool news everyone, I Manifested! I can make myself into other people!¡± he said excitedly. ¡°We can see that, Danny,¡± Lucia replied in a voice that was both stunned and exhausted. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anyone with that power,¡± Emi said, looking curious. ¡°Can you turn into anyone? Could you turn into me?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± Danny replied. ¡°This is only my second time, so I¡¯m not sure. Plus I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to be a girl yet. It¡¯s crazy enough just being short and less attractive,¡± Vincent shook his head with disapproval. ¡°Danny being¡­Danny aside, this is perfect,¡± everyone turned their attention back to him, and Vincent suppressed a shudder at seeing himself as part of his own audience. ¡°Emi, I think after some practice, ¡®the Dean¡¯ will be ready to help you rob his own office.¡± Emi smiled in understanding and Lucia nodded, but the other Vincent just said, ¡°Wait, what?¡± *** Lucia tried not to storm out of the room when Vincent announced the meeting was over. She didn¡¯t like to think of herself as someone who lost her cool, or freaked out just because people didn¡¯t agree with her, but she had definitely just done both those things. It wasn¡¯t normal for her, she assured herself. It was just a perfect storm of bad circumstances. They were right that it felt coincidental. They were right that she had bad blood with Kristy for a long time, and that it had gotten a lot worse after Lucia had Manifested. She also wouldn¡¯t lie to herself and pretend the rumors didn¡¯t bother her. But even with all that, she wanted to believe that if the¨Cadmittedly¨Cflimsy evidence she¡¯d gathered had been found any other way, she would have been able to calmly disagree with them. But it hadn¡¯t been another way, she¡¯d figured it out by being Psychic. Lucia had grit her teeth and done the last thing on Earth she wanted to do, certainly something she¡¯d spent her whole life despising, and it had worked. It was obvious how powerful and capable Psychics were, and Lucia had a better grasp on that fact than most, but still¡­part of her didn¡¯t want her Class to be good. Part of her didn¡¯t want anything redeeming or valuable to come from the thing she shared with her mother. Then they hadn¡¯t even believed her. They looked at her like she was a little girl in a spat, instead of the Psychic she wanted to be seen as for the first time. She¡¯d lost it, Lucia could admit that to herself, but¡­that didn¡¯t make her wrong. They couldn¡¯t understand, and she could barely explain, but she knew what she¡¯d felt. Maybe if she¡¯d been calmer she could have tried to explain further, but then she¡¯d accidentally outed herself to Emi¡­there was going to be a lot of aftermath to one stupid outburst. If only she could have made them understand. Yes, the words she heard were¡­less than compelling proof. But there was so much more to it. She had felt their anxiety. And their shock, and their fear, and their guilt. She¡¯d felt it as if it were her own. She wasn¡¯t going to waste any time. She was going to find Kristy, and prove that she had the Gamma. She was going to show the crew that¨Cno matter how despicable her powers were¨Cat least they were reliable. At least she was reliable. She was going to find Kristy, find the Gamma, and then...then¡­Shit. Then what? Chapter 17: Psychic Detective When the Watcher gazes down upon its end¡­ After two days of following Kristy around and finding nothing, Lucia had to admit she was on the verge of transitioning from investigating to ¡®gentle stalking¡¯. Fortunately they had a number of classes in common¨Cit was how they¡¯d built up animosity in the first place¨Cand it was relatively easy to keep the tall blonde girl in sight. Less fortunate was that her target had yet to do anything suspicious. She went to class, she ate, she worked out, and she practiced hand to hand combat. She was like a machine, never breaking her routine. Elena also appeared to be spending less time with Kristy, only speaking with her in the class they shared in the morning. It was late afternoon, and Lucia and Kristy were taking history, sitting on opposite sides of the room, as usual. The anxiety of the NGG Psychics¡¯ day of arrival creeping slowly closer was starting to make it hard for Lucia to act normally, and she¡¯d long since stopped paying attention to any of her instructors. She was bordering on obsession now, but Lucia had still tried to take Emi¡¯s words to heart¨Cshe was keeping her eyes, and her mind, open. She¡¯d done another two listening sessions at the cafeteria¨Cas uncomfortable as it was¨Cbut she¡¯d learned nothing. The odds of someone thinking about their own guilt unprompted was low, however, so she wasn¡¯t surprised by her failure. She¡¯d even gone a step further, and started inserting herself into conversations and shifting the topic to Gamma as artfully as she could. The best she¡¯d managed to pick up was that she was annoying people. Now Lucia was back to stalking, but she¡¯d already made the frustrating decision to turn to the rest of the crew tonight if she didn¡¯t make any progress. She glanced down at her KD for the time, as the lecture seemed to be entering its tenth hour. It had been fifteen minutes. She sighed audibly, but that was commonplace in this class. History was basically just another propaganda session where the NGG¡¯s glory was espoused from multiple different angles. Without much to do, Lucia decided to pursue her other new hobby¨Clistening to Veridicus¡¯ insane conspiracy broadcasts to try to better understand her brother. She quickly found the latest stream, and it was already in progress. ¡°--dozens of them, Truthseekers! There can be no doubt anymore that the world is changing, and the next generation of Psychic outcasts aren¡¯t willing to live under the NGG¡¯s bootheel!¡± Lucia leaned in; she¡¯d been waiting to hear more about¡­about people like her since she started reading up on Veridicus¡¯ latest claims. No NGG channels had mentioned anything about renegade Psychics, but of course they wouldn¡¯t. Lucia hated how easy it was to fall into the rabbit hole that these conspiracy theories presented. The harder it was to prove something, the more alluring the information, the more secret and exclusive it felt, and she wasn¡¯t immune to the temptation. ¡°There have been five separate reports of Psychic actions since their now-legendary displays at the protests barely a week ago. But this one is on an entirely different level, Truthseekers,¡± he paused theatrically. ¡°This was a prison break.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened as the feed shifted to captured video. ¡°As you can see, the Psychic penitentiary in Hong Kong has been breached! While we don¡¯t have footage of the escape itself, you can see here that the front gates, the AA guns, and guard towers were all devastated and left in rubble. But it gets better!¡± Lucia watched as more than a dozen people wearing the symbol of the Cult of the mind approached the shattered concrete walls. Guards charged at them from every direction, but simply collapsed when they got close, or even turned and started fighting their comrades. In under a minute, nearly a hundred super powered men and women were rendered completely useless by the small group of Psychics. It was terrifying, but Lucia had to admit to herself¡­it was also incredible. ¡°The Cult of the Mind is back, Truthseekers! And they are really showing what they can do! The footage ends here, but reports say that Chinese super squads were on the scene within minutes, but they were just as embarrassed as the Basics you just witnessed!¡± The screen flickered back to Veridicus, the red X on his mask shaking with his laughter. ¡°It looks like there might have been downsides to removing every Psychic from active service!¡± The man stopped laughing, and his tone grew serious. ¡°But I have one last fascinating truth for all of you, even the NGG listening!¡± The camera panned in. ¡°Even with everything you just saw, including what you didn¡¯t¨Cwhich was over a hundred freed Psychics¨Cthere were zero casualties. What do you think of that, Truthseekers? What do you think of that, NGG liars? The Psychics had them all in their power, and the worst injury was some bruises.¡± He spread his arms dramatically, ¡°It¡¯s a message, people! The Psychics are trying to tell us all what the NGG doesn¡¯t want you to believe! They¡¯re telling us that they-are-not-the-enemy! They weren¡¯t a decade ago, and they aren¡¯t now!¡± Veridicus reached below his desk and pulled out a picture of the most infamous super ever to have lived. ¡°The Prophet only wanted one thing: to save us all! Never forget that, Truthseekers. And don¡¯t believe the new lies that are coming your way.¡± He leaned back, shaking his head, as if disapproving of what the NGG had yet to say. Finally he looked back up. ¡°That¡¯s all for today, I¡¯m afraid. I can feel them closing in. Farewell, Truthseekers! Until the truth brings us together once more!¡± Lucia closed down her KD, and leaned back in her chair. She hadn¡¯t managed to sort out the complicated feelings that came with knowing the Cult was back, and this made things even more confusing. She may remember more than Vincent did about those days, but she¡¯d still been a child, and no one had told her what was really going on in the streets. Had the Psychics truly been non-violent? Or was this something new? Was everything the NGG said a lie? No. Sadly she knew that wasn¡¯t the case. Whatever else she didn¡¯t know, she remembered her mother, and knew exactly what lengths she¡¯d been willing to go to in order to bring the Prophet¡¯s words to life. Still¡­Lucia didn¡¯t like to think about what came next if this insane escape plan really worked. But she would be a Psychic, out there in the real world. Her only hope of protecting herself, or making any kind of difference was to use the powers she had, the powers she hated. To do that, Lucia would need training. She would need other Psychics. Was it possible that she could actually trust the Cult of the Mind? The people she blamed for every misfortune in her life? It was an unpleasant, and challenging question. Lucia went back to staring blankly at the instructor until class finally came to an end, and gratefully followed the flow of students outside. Stepping out into the cooling air, she turned to head to the cafeteria, but froze when she realized Kristy wasn¡¯t with the group. Caught off guard, she whipped her head around, and spotted the girl walking in the other direction toward the Northern section of campus. Lucia was momentarily uncertain what to do. Her ¡®stalking¡¯ had thus far been a lot of staring at someone who basically had the same schedule as her, not a lot of stealth involved. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. But she knew she couldn¡¯t miss this chance, and so she gave Kristy as much of a head start as she could risk, then followed. It was a fairly challenging task in the end, as Lucia tried to stay one turn behind her target, but close enough not to lose her. They passed slowly through campus as Kristy appeared unhurried, and the girl rarely even looked around as she walked. Clearly she wasn¡¯t concerned with being followed, which seemed like a bad sign. As they passed the dorms, the infirmary, and numerous classrooms, however, Lucia¡¯s curiosity grew. There weren¡¯t a lot of buildings left this far into campus, mostly just storage and some of the less-used student facilities. The Farm was meant to hold four or five times as many students as they currently had, so a lot of buildings slowly became unused. They were approaching one now. Lucia ducked behind a nearby tree as Kristy walked to a boarded up building that seemed to be barely standing. The front door was entirely covered in metal sheeting, and it was clearly meant to withstand curious students with beyond human strength. Kristy ignored it. Instead, she casually leaned against the building, and made a show of fiddling with her KD for several minutes, even though Lucia was sure the girl was searching every corner. Finally, Kristy tucked the device away, then turned and started climbing the building. Once she reached the second floor, she pulled back the metal sheeting on a window that was obviously already loosened, and squeezed through. Got you! Lucia thought with relief. She waited as long as her patience would allow, then scurried over to the building, only pausing to quickly check for watchers before she started examining the wall. It was hard to see in the dark, but small grooves had been scratched into the concrete. Combined with the lower windows and some vents, it was a path upward, and Lucia took it. She lacked Kristy¡¯s practice, but with some scrambling and a few close calls, she was soon at the window. Ever so slowly she lifted the metal sheeting and peeked through. Unfortunately there was nothing but darkness beyond, so she had to take a chance and simply go inside. Lucia didn¡¯t hear anything suspicious, so she pulled herself through the small gap, and immediately crawled to one side to avoid an ambush. None came. After a moment her eyes began to adjust to near-total darkness, and she realized she could hear distant, rhythmic sounds. Gathering her courage, Lucia moved into the dark room, navigating around blurry shapes, but not willing to risk using the light of her KD. She came to an open door, and listened for another moment before opening it a crack. It squeaked, and her heart skipped a beat, but once open the sounds from below were much louder, and she wasn¡¯t as worried. The door opened to a kind of balcony that overlooked the training area below. Lucia opened the door as little as she could, then squeezed through, and kept herself low as she crept toward the rail of the balcony. It was lighter inside, mostly from a skylight, but there were a few working lights below. Carefully she raised herself higher, and the rest of the building¡¯s interior came into view. It was mostly what she expected. The gymnasium below was falling apart, but serviceable. There were discarded weights, mats, and only training gear that likely wasn¡¯t safe to use anymore¡­but someone was. Kristy was in front of a large, heavy, punching bag. It had to be three times her size, and designed for Manifested supers. She was beating it like it owed her money. Lucia¡¯s eyebrows rose as the rhythmic sound was made clear. Fist and foot collided with the enormous bag, sending it wobbling and swinging, only to be crashed into again. Kristy was training in secret¡­with equipment meant for supers. It made sense, if she¡¯d stolen the Gamma and fast-tracked her own Manifestation. Lucia begrudgingly admitted to herself that Kristy might just be another secretly Manifested student, and that didn¡¯t help her. She needed to watch and wait, and hope for something more. The workout continued unabated for nearly an hour, and Lucia grew bored. Didn¡¯t this girl ever take a break? She hadn¡¯t even stopped for water. The closest thing to a pause was when the bag nearly broke, and Kristy moved on to lifting impossibly heavy weights. Finally though, the waiting paid off. Kristy went over to a large slab of metal that must have been part of some equipment years ago, but now was just heavy garbage, and she strained against it. Slowly it slid over, revealing a broken floor beneath. The hole beneath it was glowing softly with the familiar green of Gamma. Yes! Lucia thought with tremendous relief, and took out her KD, switching to recording mode. When she went to film the scene, however, she found that Kristy had moved in front of the incriminating hole, and was blocking it entirely. Lucia stopped herself from swearing, then shuffled along, trying to get a better shot. Finally she had the angle right, but she needed to lean over the side of the railing to get it. She angled her KD and saw exactly what she needed: Kristy and the Gamma, now sliding a canister under her shirt, and into the port in her harness. Lucia grinned as she watched her evidence recording, but the grin faded as she felt a sudden push from behind. She flipped head over heels, then landed a moment later with a crash onto some mats below. It was better than weights, but it was easily a fifteen foot fall, and she laid there trying to catch her breath, unable to gather her thoughts. At last she gasped, and air rushed back into the lungs. Her mind caught up a moment later, and she rolled onto all fours, looking around. Kristy was standing over her, staring down without expression. She was holding a six foot lifting bar like it was weightless, and the message was clear. ¡°Kristy¡­please¡­¡± she managed to get out through the panting and the pain. The girl didn¡¯t respond. She just kept staring. Not understanding, Lucia slowly got to her feet, and backed away. She collided with old tables and equipment almost immediately, and turned around, looking for an exit. There were two doors, but they were both completely covered by piles of weights and other heavy garbage. Kristy must just hop down from above, she realized. The other girl still hadn¡¯t moved, she just stood there, ominously staring. ¡°Kristy, I won¡¯t tell anyone, okay? I know we¡¯re not friends, but you don¡¯t want to do this. You¡­Kristy?¡± Lucia looked at the girl carefully, but she still hadn¡¯t moved. Curious, Lucia slowly moved around the room, but her rival wasn¡¯t motionless, even if she was silent. Wherever Lucia went, the girl just turned to watch her, saying nothing. Fear was rising as the moments passed in disturbing silence, and Lucia was beginning to wonder if this was just Kristy enjoying her moment before finally making her move, until she came to stop directly opposite where she¡¯d fallen from above. She¡¯d been pushed. In her fear and pain, it had slipped her mind, but now as she gazed up at Elena, leaning on the railing with an unreadable expression, the situation became a little clearer. ¡°Elena, what the hell is this? Why did you push me down here?¡± The other girl slowly stood up straight, then let out a long, tired sigh. I didn¡¯t want this, came a voice directly into Lucia¡¯s mind, and she whirled around in confusion. Seeing nothing, she looked back up at Elena with a dawning understanding. We really were friends, Lucia, and I¡¯m not evil. I didn¡¯t want to have to do this¡­but they know about you. ¡°You¡¯re a Psychic!¡± Lucia said in shock, and Elena let out a small laugh. For nearly a year now, returned the voice in her head. But I was lucky. I manifested quietly, when I was alone. They don¡¯t know about me. But they¡¯ll figure you out, and then the Psychics will come. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Lucia screamed back, her voice echoing in the open gym. ¡°They¡¯re already coming, because you stole the Gamma!¡± Elena looked embarrassed at the accusation, and shook her head while gesturing at Kristy, still standing frozen across the room. Her doing, but my fault, I suppose, Elena thought at her. I told you, I didn¡¯t want this, but you have to go, or they¡¯ll find us both. I told Kristy to take care of you, but Mind Control is a new ability for me¡­evidently you need to be specific, or the target will make some choices of their own. She gestured at the glowing pile of Gamma under the floor. Apparently Kristy saw you as unbeatable, even before you Manifested. She thought she needed powers of her own to complete her task, and went to acquire them. Now the pet Psychics are coming, and I need to clean up this mess. ¡°This isn¡¯t like you, Elena. We¡¯ve been friends for years; we can find a better way!¡± Lucia insisted. But she already knew the truth. She didn¡¯t really know this girl, maybe she never had. Too late for that. Tomorrow they¡¯ll find you, overdosed on the Gamma you stole. It¡¯s the only way. I¡¯m sorry, Lucia, but I decided long ago that I¡¯d do anything to avoid ending up with a collar around my neck, one more pet of the nGG, less than human. I¡¯m just trying to survive, the voice echoed in Lucia¡¯s mind, and there was genuine sadness in it. Then Kristy began to move forward, the metal bar catching the moonlight, and the promise of death coming with her. Chapter 18: Mindless Destruction Then will the truth of this world be revealed¡­ Lucia tried to back away as Kristy walked slowly, purposefully toward her. The girl¡¯s blonde hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, revealing her blank, expressionless face. Lucia bumped into a discarded table behind her, and in the moment it took to glance back, the dead-eyed girl had charged in, swinging the bar overhead. Lucia dove out of the way, and the table seemed to explode as it was struck, sending shattered wood everywhere. She kept scrambling to avoid the follow-up attack, but it didn¡¯t come. Reaching the middle of the room, she saw Kristy still slowly withdrawing the bar, then turning. Lucia glanced up and Elena, curious. Sure enough, her old friend had a look of intense concentration on her face, and was focusing her attention on Kristy. Apparently the mind control ability she was using was taxing her somehow. Elena had mentioned that giving Kristy a command that was open to interpretation had resulted in unexpected behavior, resulting in the very Gamma theft that had led to this moment. Maybe she had switched to giving specific commands to avoid that same problem¡­could Lucia use that somehow? Kristy was advancing again, her improvised weapon once more raised above her head. Lucia tried to keep her calm, knowing panic would be the end of her, and started looking around the room for anything she could use. There were any number of small objects scattered around, but she immediately discarded any thought of trying to block or deflect the swings of the heavy bar that Kristy was effortlessly wielding. Lucia needed a better plan, but first she had to confirm her suspicions. As Elena¡¯s puppet advanced, Lucia began putting as many obstacles between them as she could. Some were tripping hazards like stray weights or trash, others were tables and equipment that required Kristy to walk around them. Interestingly, the zombie-like girl carefully walked around each object, as if they were insurmountable. Glancing back to the balcony, Lucia could see frustration on Elena¡¯s face. Please don¡¯t make this harder than it has to be, the voice whispered in Lucia¡¯s mind. I don¡¯t want to do this; I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone, but I don¡¯t have a choice. You¡¯re trapped down there, and Kristy can make it quick. ¡°You¡¯re living in a dreamworld if you think I¡¯m going to let you kill me, Elena!¡± she called out, truthfully just wanting to distract the small, murderous girl as much as she could. ¡°And don¡¯t pretend this isn¡¯t exactly who you are! No one goes straight to murder in a matter of days unless they¡¯ve always been capable of it!¡± You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! The voice seemed to scream inside her head. You have no idea what it¡¯s been like to live as a Psychic for a year, terrified every day that I¡¯ll be found out! You¡¯ve barely dealt with it for a week and look what it¡¯s done to you! It was Lucia that stumbled then, surprised at her former friend¡¯s accusation. She had to dance around a few other obstacles to put more space between herself and Kristy, but the mind-controlled girl had begun smashing through anything in front of her, and it was getting more difficult. Finally Lucia caught a break, as she spotted a long wooden pole sticking out of a nearby pile of discarded objects. She grabbed it while she ran past, then quickly inspected it while Kristy knocked over tables and broken furniture as she advanced. The pole looked to have been broken off of something, was slightly thicker than a broomstick, and was nearly Lucia¡¯s height. She¡¯d found a weapon. The broken end was sharp, and would work as a spear if needed, but the simple truth was that she really didn¡¯t want to kill Kristy. Even if the girl was an awful human being, she didn¡¯t deserve to die, especially not because Elena was using her. But Lucia didn¡¯t feel that she deserved to die either, and she¡¯d been taught from a young age that sacrifices had to be made. She took pride in the fact that Kristy had never been able to beat her in a direct fight before, though. The larger girl had always been stronger, but never faster, and based on how much bulkier Kristy was with her growing muscles, combined with Elena micromanaging her movements, Lucia suspected that was still true. Her plan was taking shape¨CVincent wasn¡¯t the only with plans¨Cand she knew she had a few options. First she hoped to surprise Elena by switching from running to attacking. That meant she needed to disguise what she was doing, so Lucia charged to the door that was in clear sight for the other Psychic. It was locked and chained, but Lucia made a theatrical show of trying to pry it open with the pole she was holding. The wood was old and dark, and Elena should be too far away to tell that it wasn¡¯t made of metal, and would obviously have no chance at wedging open the door. Lucia positioned herself carefully so that her body was already perfectly positioned for maximum leverage when she saw Kristy approaching in her peripheral vision. It didn¡¯t appear that Elena suspected anything as her puppet¡¯s behavior was consistent, and Kristy raised the long metal bar over her right shoulder for what would be a devastating blow. Lucia didn¡¯t hesitate, however, and swung her own weapon from the opposite direction, spinning almost entirely around with as much strength, and speed as she could possibly manage. Kristy made no move to defend herself, and the thick, dense pole cracked into the left side of her head with a sickening sound, and the impact was so strong that the pole split against her skull. Lucia grinned with triumph, but that smile faded as she realized Kristy hadn¡¯t even moved an inch from the impact. Not only was there no indication of a wound, but Kristy¡¯s own attack continued as planned, and the heavy metal bar was whistling through the air with alarming speed. Lucia had no time to properly dodge, and instead did the only thing she could, moving closer to her attacker so she was struck by the bar¡¯s middle instead of its end. She managed to tense and twist so the cold metal didn¡¯t collide directly with bone, and instead felt the impact across the left side of her upper chest, shoulder and arm. The shock of it was so great that Lucia didn¡¯t feel it right away. Instead she found herself sailing through air, until her back crashed into the ground, and she rolled backward, then slid a few feet before her momentum finally ceased. Pain flared out from where she¡¯d been struck, but she didn¡¯t have the breath to scream. Forcing her eyes open, she was grateful to see that her arm wasn¡¯t just a mess of broken bones as she feared. Instead it simply hung limp at a disturbing angle, seemingly dislocated. Lucia blinked away tears as she forced air into her lungs, then realized Kristy was almost within swinging distance again. Desperately she scrambled to her feet, holding her left arm so it wouldn¡¯t swing around too much as she made her bruised body limp across the gym. Please, Lucia. You¡¯re only making this more painful for yourself. ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucia managed to scream in defiance. As her pursuer smashed her way through the alarmingly few remaining obstacles in the gym, Lucia begrudgingly admitted to herself that the first step of her plan had gone far worse than she imagined. Still, she refused to give up. There were still other options, and she was determined to survive this horrible night. If the puppet wasn¡¯t a valid target, then Lucia would turn to the puppeteer. As she moved and dodged around objects, she regained some semblance of balance and her mind cleared. Unfortunately the pain in her arm and shoulder grew with her improved clarity, but there was little she could do about that at the moment. At last she felt coordinated enough to begin striking back, and was pleased to see Elena appeared to be struggling even more to control Kristy. While Lucia dearly wished she could outlast the other Psychic, she understood enough to know that even if Elena abandoned direct control, she could still resort to interpretive commands. Simply telling Kristy to ¡®kill her¡¯ would be less reliable than moving her around at will, as the powerful girl might decide the best way to achieve the task was to bring the building down and kill them all. Still, Lucia had little doubt she¡¯d still end up dead that way. No, her only hope was to break the control Elena had, and pray that together she and Kristy could stop the traitorous Psychic. To that end, Lucia had been taking an inventory of everything she could use for that purpose. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she released her arm and began darting around the room, grabbing and throwing in one motion. Elena was suddenly assaulted by small weights, scraps of metal, unrecognizable debris, anything light enough to be picked up and thrown. The girl could duck out of the way, but that left Kristy uncontrolled, and the puppet¡¯s pursuit was reduced to fits and starts, as the direct control phased in and out. Still, it wasn¡¯t working as well as Lucia needed it to. Elena was one floor up in a dark area, and none of the random objects were easy to aim or throw. Lucia had been hoping for at least one direct collision to stun the girl, but instead she was quickly running out of ammunition, and Elena had taken to moving around and making herself a harder target. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. At last it was Lucia who made the fatal mistake. She decided to risk grabbing the splintered pole she¡¯d used on Kristy, and was trying to line up a javelin toss, hoping to spear her old friend. Elena seemed to see this as a real threat¨Capparently having more confidence in Lucia¡¯s abilities than she herself did¨Cand commanded Kristy to hurl her own, heavier spear. Lucia spotted the change in tactics in time, and managed to throw herself backward, barely avoiding the missile. She crashed to the ground, and before she could even consider her next move, and weight fell on top of her. Kristy was pinning her to the floor. Lucia¡¯s left arm was still useless, and her right reached up to fend off her attacker, but she had no real chance. Kristy¡¯s dead eyes looked down at her as one hand caught Lucia¡¯s wrist, and the other wrapped around her throat. Then she began to squeeze. Lucia¡¯s constitution had been enhanced when she¡¯d Manifested, but the stronger girl was squeezing the life from her seemingly without effort. She could just barely make out Elena over Kristy¡¯s burly shoulder, staring down at her with a regretful expression. I¡¯m sorry, Lucia, the voice whispered into her mind, and suddenly Lucia was somewhere else. *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucia,¡± her father called out as he dragged her down the hallway. Another explosion came, and the building shook beneath them. Lucia looked up at the back of her father¡¯s head as he charged forward, pulling her behind. The slick black hair that she and Vincent had inherited was dusty from debris as the ceiling cracked above them. Two NGG soldiers appeared at the end of the hall, their black uniforms and helmets making them seem like grim reapers from the stories Lucia read. The men raised their large guns and she heard herself scream. Her father halted, and pushed her behind him protectively. It wasn¡¯t much comfort though, as Lucia knew her father wasn¡¯t like her mother. He wasn¡¯t one of the Cult, he couldn¡¯t hurt people. And so, at seven years old, Lucia knew she was going to die, and she cried¨Ceven though she¡¯d promised herself that she wouldn¡¯t. Then she heard the screaming, and flinched against bullets that never came. Lucia gathered her courage and poked her head out from around her father, only to see the two soldiers holding their heads as they collapsed. A moment later her mother stepped out of a room in the middle of the hallway, looking down at the men she¡¯d broken with disgust. Lucia knew that look, and it was turned on her father next. ¡°Where are you taking my daughter?¡± she asked in her scary voice. Lucia couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak, but in her mind she repeated over and over: Please don¡¯t break daddy, too. *** Lucia¡¯s eyes could barely focus, but she knew she didn¡¯t need them. She didn¡¯t need eyes, or the hand that was pinned, and she certainly didn¡¯t need the crude weapons she¡¯d been using. All she needed was to embrace the part of herself that she hated most. Her mind reached out, and she found Elena¡¯s immediately. It was so much louder than Kristy¡¯s. It was like a bright light shining in a dark sky, and Lucia caressed it with her own, knowing it. She felt the shape of the thoughts within, but couldn¡¯t make sense of them. That wasn¡¯t her talent. Instead, it was the rest of the delicate mind that her ability sought. Lucia felt memories, she felt impulses and desires, she felt consciousness, and everything that made Elena who she was. Lucia began to rip and tear. Distantly she was aware of the hand at her throat loosen, but Lucia¡¯s mind was committed to its task. She understood that truly talented Psychics could use this technique like a scalpel. They could remove specific memories, or even excise nightmares and trauma. Lucia didn¡¯t possess such a light touch. Instead, Mind Ravage ripped everything apart, in a feral and desperate way. Lucia understood that this normally wouldn¡¯t be possible with another Psychic, or at least not a trained one. For the same reason that Elena hadn¡¯t simply taken control of her own mind, a Psychic had natural defenses that made mental intrusions difficult. Thankfully Elena¡¯s energies had been burned up controlling Kristy, and now Lucia¡¯s power was able to run rampant. There was no sense of time or true awareness of the real world. Lucia was lost in the ruins of what had been the makings of a person named Elena. She still struck out wildly in every direction, a vague instinct of self preservation pushing her onward. But there was something else as well. Something she refused to acknowledge but knew was there: a sense of satisfaction that came from embracing destruction. She only came back to herself when she realized her body was shaking, and finally her eyes came into focus, and she saw a terrified Kristy leaning over her. She was trying to shake Lucia awake, possibly worried that she¡¯d been successful in her attack, and pain exploded in the dislocated shoulder. ¡°Stop,¡± Lucia whispered through an injured throat, and Kristy fell backward in relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the powerful girl whispered. ¡°I thought that I¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± Lucia said in a hoarse voice. Then she considered what she¡¯d done, and tears filled her eyes. Did I have a choice? she wondered. At last Lucia made herself sit up, and groaned as her dangling arm shifted. Without a word Kristy leaned forward and smoothly popped it back into its socket. Lucia let out a pained scream, then fell back to the floor, gasping. ¡°Sorry, better not to know it¡¯s coming, trust me,¡± Kristy whispered, then she turned and took a few steps away. ¡°Is Elena¡­?¡± she asked sadly. Lucia didn¡¯t know how to answer, she just lay on the cold floor, holding her shoulder as tears continued to fall. ¡°Are you going to kill me too?¡± Kristy asked after a few quiet moments. This, at last, seemed to break Lucia out of the trance of pain and shame that she¡¯d fallen into. She slowly regained her feet, trying to think of what to say. Kristy turned to look at her, ¡°I know what you are. Elena¡­she was controlling me most of the time, but she also talked to me sometimes. I don¡¯t know why. But I know she was a¡­I know you and her were the same.¡± Lucia immediately grew furious and she opened her mouth to deny what the other girl said, but she stopped when Kristy backed away, absolute terror in her eyes. This is what people are taught to think of Psychics¡­and for Kristy, it¡¯s completely true. Lucia also had to admit that she couldn¡¯t claim to be different. Not really. Not anymore. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± she said finally, but Kristy didn¡¯t relax. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want to be like her. I don¡¯t want to be like this. I just am.¡± The other girl just kept staring, and Lucia let out a sigh, then went to sit down on a chair that hadn¡¯t been smashed yet. ¡°My mother was a Psychic,¡± she said, not really knowing why. ¡°She was powerful, too. I grew up watching her hurt people. I think¡­I think she did something worse to my brother.¡± Kristy was watching her curiously now, and Lucia wasn¡¯t surprised. Few people knew about their mother, and she¡¯d never told anyone what she just told this girl who¡¯d nearly killed her. ¡°I¡¯ve spent my whole life being terrified that I¡¯d turn out like her. People used to say that I reminded them of her¡­I hated that. So I started watching people¡­closely. I wanted to understand them so I could understand her.¡± Lucia gazed upward, looking at the stars through the skylight. ¡°I wanted to understand her so I could be different. But I think understanding her is what made us the same. She always understood everyone¡­it was the best way to know how to hurt them.¡± She looked back at Kristy. ¡°If the NGG takes me, they¡¯ll turn me into a weapon. They¡¯ll make me tear people¡¯s minds apart as training. They¡¯ll make torture their enemies¡­our friends. Please Kristy, don¡¯t send me to them. I never asked for this.¡± Her rival stared at her for another long moment, then finally looked away. The blonde haired girl walked a few paces, then looked down at her feet. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and Lucia found she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to hope. She also didn¡¯t want to let her think about what she¡¯d do if she believed Kristy was going to turn her in. She was scared to imagine it. Scared people make bad decisions. Finally fear overran faith, and Lucia started planning. She would have to listen to the girl¡¯s thoughts¨Cshe couldn¡¯t trust her words, whatever she said. And if Kristy planned to turn her in¨Ca sound interrupted Lucia¡¯s thoughts and she looked over to see her would-be murderer land on the upper floor. It¡¯s too late, Lucia thought, she¡¯s gone. A moment later there was a soft thud as Kristy landed back in the center of the gym, Elena¡¯s body in her arms. Lucia stood up in shock, and recoiled when she saw Elena¡¯s face, locked in an expression of horror, saliva dripping from a corner of her mouth. Lucia wanted to ask what Kristy was thinking, but the larger girl clearly had a plan. She marched back toward the broken floor, and scooped out a pile of Gamma. Without hesitation she began feeding it into Elena¡¯s harness, one after another¡­a deadly amount. Lucia slowly approached, not entirely sure where this was going, and scared to ask. Kristy spoke without looking up from her grim task. ¡°They¡¯ll find her tomorrow. The NGG Psychics won¡¯t need to come. You and I shouldn¡¯t be seen together though, no reason to risk it.¡± She kept feeding more Gamma, long past what would be needed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of this night,¡± Kristy whispered. ¡°Or what I should think of the last few days¡­I barely remember them, but I¡¯ll never forget the feeling of another person controlling me.¡± She looked at Lucia, ¡°It¡¯s hard not to hate all Psychics right now.¡± Lucia turned away, understanding more than the girl would ever know. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure this doesn¡¯t come back to you,¡± Kristy continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you plan to avoid being found out, and I don¡¯t want to know. But it won¡¯t have anything to do with me. I have my own future to figure out,¡± she glanced down at her own powerful arms. ¡°It¡¯s gotten complicated enough already.¡± Lucia couldn¡¯t help herself, and she risked a question. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Kristy finally stopped forcing Gamma into the small girl, as Elena¡¯s body had started to spasm. She didn¡¯t look at Lucia when she answered, watching her tormentor die instead. ¡°We never got along, but that¡¯s bullshit kid stuff. This¨C¡± she gestured at the shaking body, ¡°this is what the real world is like for our kind.¡± Elena finally stopped moving, and Kristy bent down to grab the Gamma in one hand and toss the body over her shoulder with the other. She walked away from Lucia then, but paused a second later. She turned back slightly, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t end up like your mother.¡± She took another step, then said even more quietly, ¡°But not as much as I hope I don¡¯t end up like my father.¡± Then she jumped up to the next floor. Kristy stopped to toss down a rope that was secured to the railing. ¡°Goodbye Lucia. Good luck,¡± and then she was gone. Chapter 19: Explosive Denial Then will the Great Hero become the Great Traitor¡­ Vincent rolled his eyes as Lucia crossed out ¡®Gamma Theft¡¯ from the board as slowly and dramatically as she possibly could. Danny grinned, then applauded furiously, and a moment later Emi joined him. Lucia smirked, but when she returned to her seat on Vincent¡¯s bed, he could see that she was barely maintaining her composure. Last night had shaken her, no matter how much of a brave face she was putting on. Vincent understood more than he would have liked. Barely half a month had passed since they¡¯d each Manifested, and already they¡¯d both become killers¨Cor close enough that the distinction was meaningless. Vincent could at least tell himself that it had been self-defense against two people he had no real connection to, but he understood that Elena had been one of Lucia¡¯s closest friends for years. She would be recovering from this for a long time¨Cif at all¨Cand he didn¡¯t blame her. He just hoped it wouldn¡¯t affect the plan. ¡°They found her this morning,¡± Lucia said in a flat voice. ¡°Kristy hid the body somewhere in the trees between campus and the wall. I heard at breakfast that some students saw a cluster of guards hauling a massive pile of Gamma back to storage, so we should be okay.¡± ¡°And Kristy?¡± Vincent prompted. ¡°I can tell you what I think, but I know how you¡¯d respond¡­and you¡¯d be right,¡± Lucia said with frustration. ¡°No matter what else happened, she holds my fate in her hands. So far she¡¯s doing what she said she would; all we can do is get out of here so she¡¯s no longer a loose end.¡± There was silence for a moment as they all considered what that meant. While Kristy didn¡¯t know about the escape plan¨Cas far as they were aware¨Cher being able to out Lucia as a Psychic at any time was a disturbing reality. Vincent realized everyone was staring at him, as if waiting for him to disagree. ¡°I don¡¯t see a better option. You wrapped this up as cleanly as you could, and we¡¯re lucky you were able to do so at all. I¡¯ll try to consider some contingencies, but we¡¯re just over a week from escape¨Chopefully this is just one more complication we¡¯re leaving behind.¡± The crew seemed relatively satisfied with that answer. They didn¡¯t need to know that Vincent planned to watch Kristy personally until they left. ¡°Danny, want to go over the last details on your side?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± he said, standing and holding out his hand for the marker. Vincent sighed, but handed it over. Danny stood in front of the board, then cleared his throat loudly. ¡°We already talked about harvest duty, so none of you should be surprised by anything that happens on the day.¡± He waited to see if anyone disagreed, but Danny had been thorough in describing his experiences, and they all felt fairly comfortable. ¡°The good news is that the Radstorms in New Technopolis have been as stable as we hoped, and all the trucks are still going out daily.¡± ¡°I think Kristy used up enough of the Gamma she stole that they¡¯ll still want a surplus, so I doubt that will change,¡± Lucia interjected. ¡°Right¡­yeah,¡± Danny said, flustered. ¡°So, Vincent and I were talking about the last part. We debated just signing him and Emi up for duty, but there¡¯d be no guarantee we¡¯d get on the same truck, or even that there¡¯d be room. You¡¯re going to have to take the places of three regular members.¡± Emi and Lucia nodded, expecting this as well. ¡°Glenn is about Vincent¡¯s size, and Becca and Marcus will have to do for you two,¡± Danny said, shrugging. ¡°Lucia, you¡¯ll probably have to duck a bit since Marcus is super short, but the baggy suits are so hard to see into that you should be fine.¡± ¡°What if the other students talk to us?¡± Emi asked. ¡°Just pretend to sleep for the trip there. A lot of us do that. If someone starts bugging you I¡¯ll do my best to shut them up, but Becca and Marcus are dating so it won¡¯t be weird if you two look like you¡¯re talking to each other.¡± ¡°What about Eric?¡± Vincent prompted. ¡°He knows us all pretty well, I¡¯d be a lot more comfortable if we took him out instead,¡± Danny made a face. ¡°Sorry Vince, but Eric is pretty tall. You¡¯re only a bit bigger than the girls and he¡¯s like¡­almost half a foot taller than you? Plus if anyone talks, it¡¯ll be him. Best not to replace him with a short, silent dude.¡± Emi laughed, but Vincent just nodded. ¡°Fair points,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°Wait,¡± Lucia said. ¡°Did you say ¡®take him out¡¯? Exactly what are you planning to do with the students we¡¯re replacing?¡± There was genuine worry in her eyes, and Vincent figured she was still thinking about Elena. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lucia, we¡¯re just knocking them out and¡­well we¡¯re stashing them in the change room lockers. So it¡¯s not great, but it¡¯s not¡­you know, deadly?¡± Danny shrugged. ¡°We can¡¯t risk them being found until we¡¯re safely away, so we can¡¯t just tie them up and cross our fingers. They¡¯ll be found at the end of the day, and those lockers are pretty big. They¡¯ll be able to sit down and we can leave them some water and snacks.¡± ¡°Snack,¡± Emi said in a disbelieving tone. Danny threw his hands up, ¡°I dunno! Lucia looks worried, and those kids are nice. It¡¯s bad enough we¡¯re knocking them out, at least we can cater.¡± Emi smiled and shook her head in amusement. Danny continued. ¡°So you guys will sneak into the bathroom first thing in the morning, and hide in the stall. I¡¯ll convince our three ¡®volunteers¡¯ to hold back after everyone leaves, then you guys pop out, then pop them. Then all you need to do is put on their gear, and off we go!¡± He turned back to Vincent, ¡°That¡¯s it, right? Supplies tied under the truck, we wait for your distraction and we¡¯re good?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it,¡± Vincent said with annoyance, knowing what was coming. Sure enough a huge grin spread on Danny¡¯s face as he turned and crossed out ¡®Escape Method¡¯ from the board even more slowly than Lucia had. When he finally finished, Vincent started the applause, drawing surprised expressions from the crew. What? I¡¯m funny too, he thought. Vincent took the marker back and tapped the final point on the list, ¡®Harnesses¡¯. ¡°That just leaves our last goal. Danny, have you been practicing?¡± In answer, the Dean was suddenly sitting in his desk chair, though dressed as a student. ¡°Couple of problems,¡± the Dean said in his typical, flat voice. ¡°I can copy mannerisms and appearances, but clothes¡­not so much.¡± ¡°Are you sure about mannerisms? Your voice may be right but you¡¯re still talking like a¨Clike you,¡± Emi said. ¡°If anyone who knows the Dean speaks to you, this will be over.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°If anyone who knows the Dean speaks to you, this will be over,¡± the Dean repeated, except it was said in Emi¡¯s voice, and precisely the same intonations and rhythm. Emi looked understandably creeped out, and Lucia¡¯s eyebrows went up in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s the Mimic passive,¡± Danny said, this time back in the Dean¡¯s voice. ¡°I don¡¯t even really need to think about it. As long as I¡¯ve heard someone speak, I can copy them almost exactly.¡± ¡°Almost exactly?¡± Vincent prompted. The Dean shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t give me any new knowledge. I can¡¯t speak in another language or use words I don¡¯t know in English¨Cthough I think I get that later.¡± ¡°So the Dean will have to be terse when the day comes,¡± Lucia said. ¡°That won¡¯t be out of character, at least.¡± Vincent spoke up, ¡°Emi, we need to improve Danny¡¯s chances as much as possible. You¡¯ve managed to see inside before, you¡¯ll tell him everything you know?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll also tell him about Denise, the secretary. It¡¯s not likely he¡¯ll manage to get in without going past her. The whole building is locked tight at night, so it has to happen during office hours.¡± ¡°Then we know what we¡¯re doing for these last few days,¡± Vincent said. ¡°We need to shadow the Dean and find the right time to break in, or otherwise figure out how to get him out of his office.¡± Vincent paused, looking at the copy of Dean Allister. ¡°We¡¯ll also need to find something for him to wear.¡± ¡°That part is relatively easy,¡± Lucia said. ¡°I¡¯m on Laundry duty, and I¡¯ve seen his clothes come through regularly.¡± ¡°Perfect, I think we have everything covered. Danny do you¡­Danny?¡± his friend was shaking, and spasming, and suddenly he was back to himself. ¡°Ugh¡­right. There¡¯s still that,¡± he said, breathing rapidly. ¡°I don¡¯t seem to have a problem taking a shape, and I¡¯ve been practicing as much as I can¡­but I can¡¯t always hold it as long as I want. Or sometimes it¡¯s the opposite problem, and I¡¯m stuck for a few hours.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to risk it,¡± Vincent said firmly. ¡°There aren¡¯t any other options. We¡¯re almost out of time and this is all for nothing if we can¡¯t disarm our harnesses.¡± No one denied the uncomfortable truth, so he nodded and began erasing the board. ¡°One more thing,¡± Emi said, in a strangely serious tone. Everyone turned to look at her, and Vincent noticed her expression was dark. ¡°I know you think you have the distraction covered but¡­well I had an interesting opportunity the other day.¡± ¡°I do have the distraction covered, but I¡¯m always open to new opportunities,¡± Vincent replied with curiosity. Emi still looked serious, but a touch of hesitation entered her tone. ¡°I was in the garage, I think I mentioned that I take scrapper duty to find old components. Well, something came across my desk that should have been disposed of in another way, but I got lucky. It was an old power cell, and still has a charge.¡± Danny was clearly getting impatient, ¡°Emi, no one is going to understand your wacky tech-talk. Just tell us what cool device you can build.¡± Emi glared at him, but answered. ¡°A bomb.¡± The room grew quiet, and everyone exchanged uncomfortable glances. Finally Emi continued, ¡°It won¡¯t be a large explosion, but if we tucked inside the cab of our harvester it would definitely take out the guards. I¡¯m sure I can figure out a way to get us out of the back¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± Vincent said, and the crew turned to look at him. ¡°Just ¡®no?¡± Emi said with obvious irritation. ¡°How about some discussion? You won¡¯t even tell us what your little distraction is. I¡¯d prefer to bet my life on my tech¨Cyou know, the same tech we¡¯re trusting to keep ourselves from exploding?¡± ¡°No,¡± Vincent repeated. ¡°We¡¯re not killing anyone, that isn¡¯t the plan.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just guards!¡± Emi yelled back. ¡°The ones keeping us here! The ones who let children get tortured and turned into weapons!¡± ¡°I know who they are,¡± Vincent said calmly. ¡°But I also know who we are, and we¡¯re not the NGG. We have a way out, and I promise it will work.¡± ¡°Then tell us what it is!¡± Emi yelled again, standing up and getting right into Vincent¡¯s face. ¡°Convince us! Don¡¯t make us put our lives on the line for some god damned mystery!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you to trust me,¡± Vincent answered quietly. Then before Emi could say something else, Danny spoke up. ¡°Emi, this bomb¡­can you be sure how big the explosion will be? Can you be sure it will only get the guards and not us?¡± Emi turned her fury on him, but then she hesitated, clearly seeing how earnest he was. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t be certain but¨C¡± ¡°What about the other trucks?¡± Danny asked. ¡°You realize it¡¯s a convoy right? If the bomb explodes while we¡¯re still all together we could drive into one, right where the students are sitting. Or if it went off when we were still on the speedway¡­it could crash us all.¡± Emi looked more irritated than convinced, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯d program the bomb, make sure the timing was perfect.¡± ¡°The timing is different every day,¡± Vincent interjected. ¡°The teams follow the storms to different locations around the city. You¡¯d need to program the bomb so that it went off after we arrived in the city, but before we exited the truck, and we¡¯d be in the back of a windowless box.¡± Emi finally seemed to have run out of steam. ¡°I could solve all those issues; none of you realize what a tech is capable of,¡± she said stubbornly. ¡°If it was our only option, we¡¯d be with you,¡± Lucia said, speaking up at last. ¡°But there¡¯s been enough killing. You can trust my brother. He¡¯s put his life on the line to get us out of here, and he wouldn¡¯t bet it all on something he wasn¡¯t sure of after everything we¡¯ve done.¡± She looked at Vincent, and her eyes were pleading, ¡°Right? Vincent paused before answering, knowing that his own plan had a level of volatility he wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable with, but also not ready to take the step Emi suggested. There would be six guards in that cab, and while he might have been willing to defend himself against the madman who¡¯d chased him across campus, Vincent wasn¡¯t ready for premeditated murder. He was barely hanging on to a shred of morality as it was. ¡°The plan will work. I¡¯ve made sure of it,¡± he said with confidence he didn¡¯t entirely feel. Operation Matter had never been intended for this purpose, but it would work. It had to, and for more reasons than just this escape. ¡°Okay, then we trust you, Vincent. You¡¯ve gotten us this far, right Emi?¡± Lucia said pointedly. The small Tech huffed, then threw her hands up. ¡°Fine. We¡¯re all trusting each other, so I¡¯ll trust you now. I just hope you¡¯re not wasting this chance,¡± she said bitterly, then stormed out of the dorm room. ¡°She¡¯ll cool off,¡± Danny said. ¡°Give her some time,¡± Lucia agreed. ¡°We¡¯re taking a lot on faith here, and with stakes that keep us all up at night. Besides, I can¡¯t blame her for wanting to take out some guards¨Cor at least being willing to sacrifice them. They¡¯ve kept us in this prison for years.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Vincent said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s focus on what needs to be done. Danny, keep practicing. Lucia, get him those clothes. We need to be ready¡­the big day is right around the corner.¡± *** Emi was still fuming as she got outside into the cool evening air. She hated being in the dark about anything. She had an overwhelming desire to know things. To understand them, and it had intensified to an alarming degree when she¡¯d become a Tech. Sometimes she thought it might be why she¡¯d Manifested Tech powers in the first place, whatever Vincent claimed about balance and attributes. Either way, it was driving her crazy that she didn¡¯t know how this elaborate plan was supposed to end. She did trust them, or at least she was trying to. She had her own reasons for wanting off this horrible Farm, and she was willing to take some big risks to do it. But trust only went so far. Emi smiled as she came to a decision and there was one fewer horrible unknowns in her life. She went to build a bomb. Chapter 20: One Last Job I¡¯ve seen how this ends¡­ Danny was trying to control his breathing, but the pressure was getting to him. The janitor¡¯s closet in the library was small and poorly ventilated, and the heat wasn¡¯t helping any. The Warden¡¯s clothes already fit him awkwardly, and he didn¡¯t want to add being a sweaty mess to the list of challenges for today. Finally the earpiece Emi had made clicked, and Lucia¡¯s voice came through. ¡°We¡¯re good, the Dean¡¯s heading to the barracks as usual. I wish we knew what he did in there,¡± she said. ¡°We have all the information we¡¯re going to get,¡± Vincent¡¯s voice answered. ¡°We do this now or never. Waiting on you, Danny.¡± Okay, it¡¯s time, Danny thought. He triggered the transformation the only way he knew how, picturing the Warden in his mind, and repeating his little mantra. I wish I were the Warden, I wish I were the Warden¡­ He felt his body change. The experience was still supremely uncomfortable, though blessedly brief, and¨Csurprisingly¨Cnever painful. After a few moments the cheap brown suit felt comfortable on his body, and he instinctively stood up straighter, and let his face fall into a no-nonsense expression. It was time to put this thing to the test. He burst out of the janitor¡¯s closet as if it was a perfectly normal place for the Dean to be, challenging anyone to question his motives with his aggressive posture. The hallway was empty, and he grumbled a little in disappointment. Without appearing to rush, he began to make his way outside and toward the nearby Admin building. They¡¯d been especially careful to make sure he wouldn¡¯t cross paths with the real Warden, and Lucia was shadowing the man now for that exact purpose, but Danny still felt nervous. The sun was blinding, and he realized with some irritation that Dean Allister¡¯s eyes were more sensitive to light than his own. Every transformation taught him something new about people, and broadened his understanding of what this world was like. He¡¯d shifted forms a few dozen times now, and he¡¯d been short, tall, color blind, even suffered from allergies once. He¡¯d learned the hard way that his friend Edward was lactose intolerant, and didn¡¯t share that piece of trivia with anyone. Now he added light-sensitivity to the list as he crossed the courtyard toward the Admin building. It was interesting to be able to walk freely around the campus, he was normally confined to the dorms for his transformations, and seeing the other students react to him was so funny he struggled to maintain the Warden¡¯s famously bland expression. Some of them stumbled when they accidentally got too close. Others appeared to be working up the nerve to speak to him, but hung their heads at his glare. A few even turned and almost ran away, and it was that truly special degree of cowardice that had Danny holding in his mirth. Not that he wasn¡¯t scared of Dean Allister, or ¡®Waller¡¯ as he¡¯d been known in his superhero days. But Danny wouldn¡¯t openly retreat from the man¡­would he? He put those thoughts away as he approached the door. A guard was standing to one side, and he found himself holding his breath until the man mumbled ¡°Sir,¡± and gave a small nod. The Dean didn¡¯t even nod back, ignoring the guard, even as the man opened the door for him. He was too important to busy himself with rabble¡­at least that was what Danny¡¯s skill told him. He wished he understood how the skill worked, as it didn¡¯t seem to need Danny¡¯s actual experiences to draw from, was he connected to his target somehow? He went through the halls, trying to avoid eye contact with the many administrators that were required to keep a prison for super children running. He went straight for the stairwell, and tried to look too busy for anyone to risk interrupting him or starting a conversation. No one even tried, and Danny was amused to discover the Dean¡¯s employees avoided him even more blatantly than most of the students. Apparently ¡®the Warden¡¯ was equally loved by everyone in his care. At last he reached the stairwell, and wasn¡¯t surprised to find it the same bland combination of concrete and metal that the rest of the Farm was made from. He practically jogged up the steps when he noticed they were clear, and only slowed down when he neared the top floor. Another guard nodded and opened the door, which required a bioscan Danny was grateful to avoid. They thought his transformed biology would work, but he¡¯d rather find that out alone with the safe, not next to a trigger-happy guard. The upper floor was a departure from the rest of the Farm, and Danny had to try not to look surprised. He presumed it was tied to the esteemed visitors who would spend most of their time here, but the deep red walls, lined with paintings and artifacts of the Invasion was a bit of a shock after years of gray. He continued down the wide hallway, spotting the secretary Denise at the far end. There were several more guards lining the hall as expected, and Danny waited till none were nearby to whisper, ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Your KD is transmitting,¡± Emi¡¯s voice responded. ¡°I can see ahead of you fine, but keep the device in your front pocket.¡± I know, I know, he thought. As if the two Villaris weren¡¯t enough, Emi was proving to be another authoritarian. Sometimes Danny felt like the only one with a job, except he had three managers. Denise looked up as he approached, and it was immediately clear that at least one person in this building wouldn¡¯t hesitate to speak to him. ¡°Did you forget something, Dean Allister?¡± the middle aged woman asked in a respectful tone. ¡°Yes,¡± the Dean answered simply, then swept past her. Danny hadn¡¯t known what he was going to say until she¡¯d asked the question, and he was incredibly grateful when his skill still pushed him toward being vague and important. They had no idea why the Warden went to barracks. What might he have forgotten? Keys, cake, a speedo? Thankfully he was through the double wooden doors without having to make something up, and he subtly glanced back to see Denise appearing completely unbothered by the exchange. He barely had the doors closed before he let out a relieved breath¨Cthough his heart was still pounding in his chest. He looked around the room, and was surprised to find it even more densely decorated than the outside hall. There was the expected desk and computer, and an elaborate bookshelf, but there were also over a dozen display cases and glass-covered wall-hangings. They all appeared to contain various pieces of Invader memorabilia. The most common were interesting pieces of jagged metal, some with that weird Invader writing on it. There were other things though. Something that looked like a metal book, another that might have been half of a sword¨Cthough the handle looked like it was made for a giant. The Dean was a collector. Awesome. Danny resisted the urge to start touching everything in sight. ¡°I¡¯m in-er,¡± he said to the crew. ¡°What?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°He¡¯s in the Dean¡¯s office. Focus, Danny,¡± Emi said. ¡°I¡¯m working so hard,¡± Danny said as he tried to lift the broken sword. ¡°The Dean is still in the barracks, but the time he spends there isn¡¯t consistent. Be serious, Danny!¡± Lucia growled in his ear. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Danny said, looking around the office. ¡°Emi, I don¡¯t see a safe,¡± he said after a cursory glance. ¡°There should be a biometric scanner on the wall,¡± she responded. ¡°It just looks like a metal plate; it could be easy to miss.¡± Danny frowned, doing another cursory glance before beginning to slowly circle the room. He didn¡¯t see the plate, but as he came around to the other side of the large desk made of some kind of red wood, he made a different discovery. ¡°Whoa, his computer is still on,¡± he said with surprise, then leaned forward to read the display. ¡°Ignore it,¡± Vincent said sternly. ¡°We know what we¡¯re here for.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a file open,¡± Danny said, as if Vincent hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°It¡¯s student records¡­more than just our time here. It has background information on us¡­and it has current family information.¡± There was a long silence as they all took that in. The Villari siblings certainly didn¡¯t expect to hear anything about their own parents, but they understood that Emi and Danny had left people behind. ¡°Danny, please,¡± Lucia said quietly. ¡°When we¡¯re out of here you can find them yourself. But we need to get out of here!¡± Danny tucked away his KD so Emi wasn¡¯t watching, then rapidly typed in his own name. It had been years since he¡¯d last seen his parents, and no matter how they¡¯d left it, he still loved them, and missed them. Vincent was saying something, but Danny pulled out his earpiece. Scrolling down and reading as rapidly as he could, he tried to take in everything at once. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. They¡¯d moved, apparently, and were somewhere in Oregon, though the record wasn¡¯t specific for some reason. His mother had given up real estate apparently, and his father was a factory worker again. There wasn¡¯t much else, until he saw their medical records were attached. Curiously he pulled them up, and scanned through, until his eyes began to tear up. He stared at the screen for a long time. He didn¡¯t know how much, but eventually his attention was drawn back to the earpiece, which he could hear even though it was on the desk. Quickly he closed down his own file, and returned the computer to how he¡¯d found it. At last he put the earpiece back in. ¡°DANNY!¡± Lucia was yelling. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said, his voice flat. ¡°My parents had another kid,¡± he continued. ¡°I have a brother. He¡¯s three.¡± ¡°Danny, he¡¯ll be there any minute!¡± Vincent said with a rare note of panic. ¡°What? My brother?¡± Danny asked, his mind struggling to make sense of the situation. How could his parents do this? Had they already given up on him? ¡°The Dean!¡± Lucia said with fury. ¡°He¡¯s on his way back!¡± Danny¡¯s eyes shot open as adrenaline cleared his mind. He took a few desperate steps toward the door before slapping himself in the face, then turned around and began furiously running his hands over the walls, looking for the metal plate Emi had told him about. ¡°Danny, please tell us you found the chip,¡± Vincent implored. ¡°I need more time!¡± Danny almost yelled, though fortunately he remembered to keep his voice low enough that Denise wouldn¡¯t hear from her desk. ¡°I can try to distract him,¡± Lucia said. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him about becoming a hero or something, that¡¯s believable.¡± Danny was already shaking his head, the Dean barely saw the students as people. A moment later Lucia¡¯s voice came back, ¡°He didn¡¯t even look at me,¡± she said in a stunned tone. ¡°He¡¯s heading toward the same entrance he left from,¡± Vincent said. ¡°He won¡¯t see the same guard that let you in, but he¡¯ll be inside soon, and this is all over.¡± ¡°I¡­I have a distraction,¡± Emi said in a quiet voice. Danny paused, curious, but almost immediately resumed his search. He was now sure that he¡¯d checked every square inch of visible wall, and had begun pushing decorations aside. ¡°What is it?¡± Vincent asked, but his voice was back a second later. ¡°Never mind, if it¡¯ll buy Danny time, use it!¡± Danny checked the last wall-hanging with a frustrated sigh, where was this thing!? He leaned back against the desk, and was in the middle of a long sigh when an explosion rocked the building. Everything shook, and he was halfway under the desk before it stopped, and he cautiously looked around. ¡°Did I do that, somehow?¡± he asked in open confusion. ¡°I set off a bomb,¡± Emi answered, and the earpiece was silent for a minute. ¡°He¡¯s heading toward the explosion,¡± Lucia reported. ¡°It¡¯s on the East side of campus, you have some time, Danny.¡± Danny didn¡¯t hesitate, determined to make up for the time he¡¯d wasted. The explosion had knocked a few things off the wall, and the metal book had left an impressive dent in the wooden floor. It had also shifted the massive sword¡­something caught Danny¡¯s eye. Rushing over, he saw the corner of a metal square peeking out from behind the handle. Relief rushed over him, and he began pushing with all his might against the frame that held the sword. It was slow, painful work, but inch by inch it slid to one side. Stupid Warden with his stupid super strength, he thought. ¡°Dean Allister,¡± cracked Denise¡¯s voice from a plain device on the desk. ¡°Dean, there¡¯s been an explosion, and Guard Captain Malary is looking for you.¡± Danny swore, then went to the small black box that was apparently an intercom. ¡°Denise, did you give the Captain my location?¡± he asked in an irritated voice. ¡°Of course not, Dean Allister,¡± she responded, sounding worried. ¡°Excellent, Denise, because obviously I would never have been back in my office during a crisis. Is that understood?¡± he said, trying to make it sound like a threat. ¡°U¨Cunderstood, Dean Allister. I¡¯ll tell the Captain you¡¯re¡­already on your way to the explosion¡­because of course you are, sir,¡± she said in a frightened voice. That was way too easy, what does he do to this poor woman? Danny thought. He managed to push the sword the last of the way, revealing the plate, and slapped his sweaty hand on it without hesitation. A small square of the wall next to it popped open immediately, and Danny hungrily pulled it the rest of the way to look inside. There were numerous papers and documents piled up inside on the bottom shelf, as well as a number of small objects on the top. ¡°Danny, report in,¡± Vincent said. ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± Danny answered. ¡°About to leave, I¡¯ll contact you when I¡¯m safe¡­or if anything changes.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± came Vincent¡¯s response. Danny pulled out the fake chip Emi had given him from his coat pocket. It was a long flat rectangle of silver, with golden grooves on one end. He had to move a few strange objects out of the way to find its twin¨Cthe Dean apparently used this safe for more than just official business, as it was nearly full with items that clearly belonged to his collection. The actual chip had been tossed to the back unceremoniously, but Danny still made sure to place the fake in exactly the same spot. As he was withdrawing his arm, however, something caught his eye. It was a small, hexagonal black stone, and it was wedged into the corner as if forgotten. Without knowing why, he quickly palmed it as well. No way the Warden goes searching for whatever this thing is between now and tomorrow, he thought, still unsure why he felt compelled to take the strange object. He stashed both prizes in his pockets, then quietly closed the safe, and laboriously pushed the sword¡¯s frame back into place. Without wasting another moment, Danny exited the office as rapidly as his skill told him the Dean would move in this situation. Denise didn¡¯t even look up from her desk, and he hoped he hadn¡¯t traumatized the poor woman. She seemed unexpectedly affected by what he¡¯d thought was a relatively subtle threat. No time to worry about that now, he thought. The guards in the hall looked nervous, and clearly expected him to round them up or at least comment on the explosion. Thankfully Danny was certain the Dean would never concern himself with what they thought, and he strode past them. It had only been a few minutes since Emi¡¯s distraction, so he felt his urgency would be understood. He reached the bottom floor without incident, but when he stepped into the hallway he saw Instructors Smythe and Callum coming through the doors. They turned in his direction, and he quickly ducked through the nearest open door. It was a washroom, and he locked it behind him. His anxiety was rising, they definitely saw me, he thought. But how clearly? His body was starting to shake as he lost his concentration, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation Danny let the Dean¡¯s form slip away. He took a minute to catch his breath. He knew students wouldn¡¯t be allowed in the Admin building, but he couldn¡¯t get past those instructors as the Dean. They would push for information, maybe even insist on joining him in examining the explosion. He needed another way out. Finally he made his choice, and his form shifted once again. Moments later he exited the bathroom, feeling unusually uncomfortable, and more than a little worried this criminally stupid plan wouldn¡¯t work. He didn¡¯t think anyone but the instructors would have noticed him duck into the washroom, as the hallway was fairly clear, but even fooling two people was going to be challenging. He was counting on the implausibility of the situation working in his favor. People simply didn¡¯t walk around wondering if they were speaking to an imposter perfectly mimicking someone else¡¯s form. That said, there were other¡­challenges he had to make work, with little time to prepare. He clutched the Dean¡¯s jack closed over his new¨Cand confusing¨Cbosom, then began walking down the hall. The instructors were nearly at the washroom already, and stared at him with open shock. Smythe spoke first, ¡°Denise¡­we thought we saw¡­You¡¯re wearing the Dean¡¯s clothes.¡± Danny let out a bubbly laugh in Denise¡¯s voice, hoping it was charming. ¡°Would you believe I spilled soup all over my dress? I¡¯m so incredibly embarrassed!¡± Soup. Soup is my plan, Danny thought, feeling his face redden. This is the saddest way anyone will ever die. ¡°Soup?¡± Instructor Callum asked, heavy with doubt. ¡°It was the explosion!¡± Danny said with more glee than he¡¯d meant to, as the thought entered his mind and left his mouth at the same moment. ¡°I was eating soup, and then I heard the explosion¨Cfelt it, really¨Cand I threw my soup all over myself.¡± ¡°Right, of course,¡± Smythe said awkwardly. ¡°So you put on¨C¡± ¡°Dean Allister¡¯s spare suit! He won¡¯t mind, he¡¯ll understand it was a soup-related emergency,¡± Danny finished. Shockingly, this was how his skill told him Denise would handle this moment. ¡°Sure, the Dean is a very understanding man,¡± Callum said, and Danny felt a little envious of just how marvelously sarcastic the tone was. ¡°Anyway, is the Dean still in his office?¡± the instructor asked. ¡°We want to know what the hell is going on.¡± They began to push past Danny, but that was unacceptable. The real Denise was still upstairs. ¡°No!¡± he said, way too loud. ¡°No,¡± he repeated in a more normal tone. ¡°He¡¯s on his way to the site of the explosion, and he wants you both there!¡± The instructors looked at one another. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should be out there right now¡­not until we¡¯re sure it¡¯s safe,¡± Smythe said. ¡°We can just wait for the Dean in his office.¡± Nope, nope, nope, he thought helpfully. ¡°Actually security is worried that if this is some kind of attack, the Dean¡¯s office would be a high priority target. If you really want to be safe, you should be with Waller himself, right?¡± Did Denise¡¯s voice sound desperate? The two instructors looked at one another, then finally nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Callum said, then turned back to the doors and began walking. Smythe shrugged and followed. Evidently Denise didn¡¯t warrant a goodbye. Rude. Danny gave them a moment¡¯s head start, then hurriedly exited the building. He drew a few glances as he sped back to the library, but looks he could handle. He tried not to seem too conspicuous as he practically ran to the janitor¡¯s closet, but almost everyone he saw was more excited by the explosion than a frightened secretary, and soon he was alone once more. His body changing back was of particular importance this time, and he took a couple of nervous glances at key areas to make sure he was himself again. Satisfied, he quickly changed back into his own clothes, then stuffed the Dean¡¯s into the bag he¡¯d hidden among the cleaning supplies. He took both stolen objects out and stared at them for a long moment. Why the hell did I risk taking this stupid stone? Tucking it away, he examined the narrow keychip for a moment, before reaching up and tapping his earpiece. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby claim the right to cross out the last line of the plan. I have our ticket out of here.¡± Chapter 21: Escape It ends in pure chaos, it ends with blood in the streets¡­ Vincent had never seen Danny hold as still as he was right now, while Emi carefully inserted the key into the small slot at the base of his spine. Despite Danny¡¯s excitement and pride at pulling off the theft and acquiring the literal key to their freedom, he still insisted on being the last one to have the explosive device disarmed. ¡°I¡¯m just going to supervise,¡± he¡¯d declared. ¡°You know, make sure Emi has everything she needs. Definitely not just waiting to see if any of you blow up by mistake.¡± Still, as Emi worked late into the night in Vincent¡¯s cramped dorm room, she proved as capable as she¡¯d promised. No one blew up. At last there was a small click as a tiny cylinder of metal ejected from Danny¡¯s harness, and Emi carefully removed it and placed it on the desk with the other three. A soft blue glow enveloped her hand once more as she brought it close to the empty slot on the otherwise unbroken square of chrome over the base of Danny¡¯s spine. After a moment, the small port closed, and the stolen key was ejected from the other side. It was back to looking like every other harness, simply a shining chain of metal running down Danny¡¯s back. ¡°Explosive charge is removed, and tracking software is disabled,¡± Emi declared. They both stood up and stretched, the lengthy process being tiring and stressful for each of them. ¡°You¡¯re sure there¡¯s no backup bomb, or anything?¡± Danny asked. Emi rolled her eyes. This was not the first time he¡¯d asked. ¡°I can sense the purpose of every circuit in a harness,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re only meant for two things: regulating the radiation we¡¯ve absorbed, and communicating our biometric data to a paired KD. The explosives and trackers are Farm crap. To my Tech-sense, they¡¯re like loose nails sticking out of a pristine work of art¨Cthere¡¯s no way I¡¯d miss something else like that.¡± Danny still didn¡¯t appear convinced, but at a pointed look from Lucia, he clearly changed what he was going to say. ¡°Uh, thank you Emi,¡± he said, then reached out for a high five. The far shorter girl resisted for a moment, but there was something about Danny¡¯s earnest smile that seemed to win people over, and she reluctantly slapped his hand. When they were done, Lucia gestured to the four small cylinders sitting on the desk. ¡°What do we do with those?¡± she asked. ¡°You said they wouldn¡¯t explode on their own, but it seems weird to just leave them here.¡± In answer, Emi reached out to grab them, but Vincent was quicker. She met his eyes, and put on a defiant expression as he held the explosives away from her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good idea to trust you with more firepower,¡± he said with open disapproval. ¡°That bomb saved Danny,¡± Emi said evenly. ¡°It probably saved his life, and it definitely saved the plan.¡± ¡°The bomb you shouldn¡¯t have even made,¡± Vincent countered. ¡°I agreed not to use it on the guards,¡± she shot back. ¡°And that was under protest. I never said I wouldn¡¯t build the thing,¡± she stepped closer and jabbed a finger into his chest. ¡°How I choose to use my abilities isn¡¯t up to you, Villari,¡± Emi said, her voice rising. Vincent stared blankly back at her, ¡°You could have killed someone just to buy five minutes.¡± ¡°You told me to use it!¡± she shouted. ¡°I trusted you to use a distraction that wouldn¡¯t endanger a bunch of innocent students,¡± Vincent responded coldly. Emi threw her hands in the air. ¡°No one was in danger! I planted the device inside one of the buildings that your explodey friend blew up. It¡¯ll look like he damaged a gas line that finally blew, and the guards already had the area blocked off,¡± she turned and walked away from him, looking satisfied. ¡°See?¡± she asked. ¡°No one was at risk with what I did. How about you, Villari? Was anyone in the dorm when you baited that idiot into attacking it?¡± Vincent frowned. It didn¡¯t matter that he had little choice, or that he was nearly mindless from the danger and adrenaline by then. She was right. ¡°How did you survive that, by the way?¡± Emi asked quietly, and Vincent looked at her suspiciously. She had one eyebrow raised, and made an exaggerated gesture to prompt him to answer. ¡°Well? Something you want to tell us?¡± Vincent narrowed his eyes. He¡¯d told them all about the chase, but left out details he considered¡­unnecessary. ¡°What¡¯s she talking about, Vincent?¡± Lucia asked. Mist, mist, mist! Vincent¡¯s mind shouted by reflex, but he knew it was pointless. Emi answered for him. ¡°I said I can tell exactly what a device is doing when I¡¯m working on it. Vincent¡¯s harness isn¡¯t set to regulate an adept,¡± she said while crossing her arms. ¡°His harness is regulating a fully manifested super,¡± she finished with a glare. ¡°What?¡± Lucia said in disbelief, while Danny said ¡°Whoa¡±, at almost the same exact moment. ¡°How long have you been keeping this from us, Vincenzo?¡± Lucia said. Vincent absently wondered if she knew just how much she sounded like their mother when she called him that. ¡°After you, before Danny,¡± he answered simply. ¡°Why would you hide this?¡± she asked, shaking her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡®hide¡¯ it. I compartmentalized information,¡± he answered, and for some reason all three of the others groaned. ¡°No one needed to know,¡± he insisted. ¡°My abilities weren¡¯t a solution to any of our problems,¡± he gestured at the board, where all four stages of the plan were crossed out. ¡°What about ¡®trust¡¯?¡± Emi said, and Vincent gave her a confused look. ¡°I never lied, or held back anything that would be of use,¡± he countered. Then he crossed his own arms, irritated. ¡°How I choose to use my abilities isn¡¯t up to you, Sato,¡± he said, but it didn¡¯t seem to have the impact he¡¯d hoped for. ¡°We didn¡¯t even know you had abilities!¡± Danny said, looking hurt. ¡°I came straight to you, man. I thought we told each other this kinda thing. I thought¡­¡± he turned around, and Emi put a hand on his shoulder. Vincent was looking back and forth between them. Why were they so upset? He noticed Lucia staring at him and met her gaze. She looked curious, but finally just shook her head in resignation. ¡°He genuinely doesn¡¯t get it,¡± she said with some disappointment. The other two looked at her. ¡°We can all be pissed, but he¡¯s not going to understand why. This is one of his Vincent moments¡­for better or worse,¡± she finished. Danny looked at Vincent again, then finally shrugged. ¡°Right,¡± he said sadly, ¡°a Vincent moment.¡± Emi¡¯s face screwed up, and Danny turned to her. ¡°We¡¯ll explain later. Let¡¯s not let this ruin our night. It¡¯s our last one on the farm, right?¡± That simple statement seemed to shatter the awkward atmosphere that had built up, and Vincent watched with confusion¨Cand some envy¨Cas the other three quickly shifted to joking and laughing. It seemed that there was simply too much relief and emotion surrounding their impending escape to stay angry. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In truth, Vincent¡¯s own anger wasn¡¯t particularly strong either. He¡¯d felt the need to confront Emi over the explosion, but she was right that no one had been hurt, and Danny had escaped. That was paramount. Vincent was ready to risk trying to break in alone if he needed to, but not to lose Danny to some detention center¨Cor worse. That grim thought in mind, Vincent resolved not to bring the crew down further. They had an enormous day ahead of them, and they all deserved to celebrate. It had always been a desperate plan, with a multitude of points of failure, but they¡¯d pulled it off¡­so far. When they started talking about sneaking up to the roof for a final farewell to the Farm, he didn¡¯t object. A few minutes later they were on the flat rooftop, leaning against the waist-high ledge that surrounded it. ¡°From up here, it¡¯s almost beautiful,¡± Lucia whispered. ¡°That¡¯s only because it¡¯s dark enough that you can¡¯t see all the concrete. Nothing but stars and trees,¡± Danny responded, his tone wistful. It was nearly three in the morning, Emi having needed the hours to ensure their harnesses were taken care of, and the darkness was almost complete. Vincent tried to see what they did, but as always, his eyes were drawn upward. It was fitting, somehow, that the Watcher was out tonight. Its soft greenlight stood out in the cloudless sky, like an emerald sparkling in a dark pool. If Vincent stared long enough, it was like he could reach out and catch it in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that sparkling wonder is the cause of a hundred years of suffering,¡± Emi said. Vincent looked at her, surprised to see her eyes upward as well. ¡°It was just the catalyst,¡± Vincent whispered back. ¡°The Invasion came, and it brought destruction, but humanity did the rest.¡± She glanced at him, then turned skyward once more. He noticed she didn¡¯t disagree. Lucia and Danny were whispering back and forth as well, and Vincent let it go on a little while longer. He let his gaze wash over the darkened campus that had been so many things to him over the years. A refuge, a school, a prison. He reflected that he didn¡¯t hate it, not the way the others did. He¡¯d simply outgrown it. At last he stood up. ¡°It¡¯s late. I know we¡¯re not likely to get much sleep, but even a few hours will be better than nothing,¡± the other three didn¡¯t object, just stood up quietly, each still lost in whatever thoughts had been pulling at them. ¡°Emi, Lucia, you know the route to take to avoid cameras. I¡¯ll meet you in front of the change rooms at six. Danny, business as usual.¡± He took a moment to look at the three. Emi, the unexpected addition, yet crucial in giving them a real hope at escape. Danny, his closest friend, and perhaps the only person who ever truly liked Vincent after getting to know him. And Lucia, his sister. Self-righteous Psychic, and likely the only family he had left in this world. ¡°We¡¯re going to make it,¡± he said with all the passion he had. Surprisingly, the simple statement seemed to get his meaning across, and all three smiled broadly. They were going to make it, he resolved. *** There was only one bathroom stall, and it was certainly not meant for three people. Lucia and Emi were squished into the back, with Vincent leaning against the off-white door. The toilet didn¡¯t have a lid, and there was an¡­aroma, that made it all the more uncomfortable. Worse, someone could still come in, so they had to be prepared to make it look occupied by a single person. With the door leaving a sizable gap at the bottom, that meant the girls had to be ready to put their feet up while Vincent was supposed to drop his pants and sit. In all his imaginings of the challenges and threats they might face in their escape, Vincent realized this particular situation was one he hadn¡¯t let himself think much about. It had already been over a half hour, and keeping silent in this unusual situation as they counted the minutes wasn¡¯t helping anyone¡¯s anxiety. The three of them alternately avoided eye contact, then looked to one another for sympathy. Emi let out a deep sigh, then made a face when she breathed back in, and the mix of chemicals and poorly cleaned washroom assaulted her senses. Lucia stifled a laugh, and Vincent just shook his head. After an eternity, they finally heard the sounds of students entering. Danny had told them everyone was always in a rush, as Captain Donovan had no patience for tardiness. As such, there was little chatter as the sounds of eight people racing to get dressed echoed through the concrete building. The first clear sound was Danny, intentionally speaking loudly. ¡°Hey, Glenn, hold on. I have to show you something,¡± he called. ¡°Actually, Becca, you and Marcus will get a kick out of this as well, I swear,¡± footsteps rang out as people started leaving. How many was that? One, two? ¡°Get out of here, Eric, this isn¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°Like I care about anything you do, Mackenzie. Ever,¡± came Eric¡¯s voice. ¡°Come on Jenkins, it¡¯ll be more fun to watch Donovan scream in their faces,¡± he finished, before the sounds of two more people exiting the building could be heard. ¡°What the hell do you want, Danny?¡± came a male voice. ¡°Eric is right, we have like a minute before Donovan makes this nightmare duty even worse.¡± ¡°Just right here,¡± Danny called out. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he said, and Vincent nodded at the two girls. ¡°That¡¯s the signal, move!¡± he whispered, throwing the stall open and charging out. Eric truly was right: they didn¡¯t have much time before their absence would be suspicious. Vincent raced into the room, and the three students turned to look in his direction, confused. Marcus and Becca dropped almost immediately when Danny pressed the small rods Emi had built into their exposed necks. The electric charge was supposed to be just enough to render them unconscious, and they appeared to do their job well. As Glenn turned to look at them in shock, Vincent pressed the third device into the younger student, and a moment later he joined the other two on the floor. ¡°Hurry!¡± Danny whispered as he pulled open two closed lockers. Lucia and Emi were there as well, having only been a step behind Vincent, and they were all desperately pulling hazard suits off of people who had become cumbersome dead weight. Danny was already pulling Glenn into a locker before Vincent managed to get the suit completely off, and a moment later the boy was squished inside. A water bottle was tossed after him before Danny slammed the door closed, and moved on to Marcus and Becca. Vincent managed to get his suit on first, and hastily moved to assist Danny with the other two unconscious students while Emi helped Lucia to zip up Marcus¡¯s suit. It was slightly too small, as Danny had warned, and her long, black hair kept getting caught. Still the whole group was geared and ready, with victims stashed, in under two minutes. Without waiting another moment they all left at a full sprint, hoping to make up for lost time. It was hard to see through the small plastic window in the helmet, but they were fortunate enough not to trip as they joined the others, lined up in front of the harvester. Captain Donovan was already arming their harnesses, but he paused to glare at the four late arrivals. Danny hurriedly forestalled any questions that might force the three imposters to have to speak up. ¡°My fault, Captain Donovan! I was showing them this hilarious video I found,¡± he called out. The Captain looked at him with remarkable disappointment, but apparently this wasn¡¯t so far out of character for Danny that the man questioned it. ¡°You can make up the time by skipping lunch, Mackenzie,¡± he said before turning back to the device in his hand. Vincent slumped and breathed a sigh of relief, but was careful to keep the floppy helmet in the right position to hide as much of his face as possible. He didn¡¯t really look anything like Glenn, but their skin tones were similar, and only his lower jaw was visible through the small screen. The Captain¡¯s eyes were locked on his device, however, which let out a high pitched beep as he passed it over each student in line. Vincent realized his muscles were almost locked solid with nervousness as the device was used on Danny in front of him, but Emi¡¯s talent was proven once again as the beep rang out on queue. His own harness began beeping a moment later, as promised. The explosives were gone, but the Tech had ensured the device would produce the same feedback it always did, as silence would be an obvious giveaway. Vincent¡¯s relief was cut short however, when he heard the Captain grunt behind him. There was no third beep. Vincent risked a look back, and saw the man slapping the device against his hand as Lucia¨Cface conspicuously turned away¨Cwas shaking slightly with worry. Vincent barely noticed Emi lean forward so her hand was resting lightly against Lucia¡¯s back. When the Captain tried the device again, the beep rang out, and Vincent had to hold his breath to stop himself from celebrating out loud. Few situations truly damaged his calm, but this day was the exception. The beep sounded a final time as the device waved over Emi, and the Captain spoke out. ¡°Alright, in the truck!¡± he called, and the eight students obligingly began to shuffle forward. As they did so, another vehicle rolled by, drawing their attention. It was as large as a harvester, but instead of the compartment to house students and the massive steel cylinder for the collected Alpha particles, it instead had a singular, metal box, secured by massive chains to the truck bed. ¡°Keep moving!¡± the Captain bellowed as several students slowed to watch it pass with curiosity. Vincent followed Danny closely as they entered the truck, grateful that the dark interior made it even less likely for his crew to be recognized. A few moments later all the students had boarded, and the heavy doors closed behind them. The vehicle began to shake beneath them as the massive engine turned over. Vincent risked a glance across the aisle to see Emi and Lucia huddling together, trying to look involved and a little intimate. It was working, as the student next to them¨Che couldn¡¯t tell who it was¨Cappeared to be trying to look anywhere else. Soon they all rocked to one side as the harvester began to move out, and Danny was surprised by how loud it was inside the compartment. But they¡¯d done it. This was the moment. His crew was about to leave the Farm. No bombs, no tracking software, just an uneasy path to freedom. They were nearly free. Danny leaned over to him and spoke just loudly enough to be heard above the roar of the engine and tires crunching gravel beneath them. ¡°Any idea what that other truck was?¡± he said. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t mess with the plan.¡± Vincent shook his head slowly, as a smile touched his lips. He whispered one word back: ¡°Distraction.¡± Chapter 22: Distraction I think¡­I think they¡¯ve already won¡­ The long drive from the Vermont Farm to New Technopolis was blessedly uneventful, but Vincent still found himself near-panic with every bump and shake of the harvester. Danny had to reassure him when they moved from regular roads to the speedway. The powered magnetic transit system had existed when Vincent was young, but he had no memory of using it back then¡­and he hadn¡¯t left the farm in twelve years. There was also the matter of the distraction. Vincent was relatively confident it would work as planned, but he had to admit to himself that there was more room for failure than he¡¯d have liked. The large transport vehicle they¡¯d seen should be ahead of them, and Vincent¡¯s imagination attributed every bump and jostle to the vehicle crashing into them. Thankfully Danny was proven right, and no one seemed particularly interested in lengthy conversations this early in the morning. Emi and Lucia were still huddled together and ignored, and even Eric Palmer wasn¡¯t bothering anyone for once. Still, Vincent kept his head down and had to stop himself from counting the minutes. At last he felt another shake as the harvester detached from the magnetic rail of the speedway, beginning the final stretch of the journey into the city itself. ¡°We¡¯re about fifteen minutes out,¡± Danny whispered. Vincent nodded, trying to ignore the adrenaline pumping through him as if he were running for his life. Which he essentially was. At last the truck slowly ground to a halt, and the crew all tensed at once. A few minutes later the heavy doors creaked on their hinges as the guards pulled them open. Vincent reflexively raised an arm to hide his face inside the hazmat suit, but he needn¡¯t have bothered. The eerie green light of a Radstorm flooded in, obscuring them all. ¡°Aright, everyone out!¡± the guard shouted, and the crew obligingly started hopping down onto the cracked asphalt that belonged to some forgotten street in New Technopolis. The other students moved more slowly, as Vincent and his friends had agreed to rush to grab their equipment and distance themselves as quickly as they could. Vincent had wondered how he¡¯d feel seeing the city again. He¡¯d only been five years old when he¡¯d been here last, but on some level it was still home. As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t really any opportunity for nostalgia. The Radstorm was so thick that he could only see a few feet in front of himself clearly, and the vague onlines of some long abandoned cars wasn¡¯t enough to trigger any distant recollections. Not certain if he should feel disappointed or not, Vincent followed Danny to the compartment on the truck that housed the Alpha collectors. The three newcomers followed Danny¡¯s lead in strapping them on their backs, then attaching the vacuum-like wands to their arms. They were already shuffling away when the other students started grabbing their own. The guards had spread out to form their perimeter, and Danny led the small group to a central location, where they could safely whisper for a few moments. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, ¡°this was as far as we got with planning.¡± The group pointedly looked at Vincent, but he was staring back at the line of trucks. ¡°I have the supplies tucked under the wheel-well,¡± Danny continued, ¡°what do we do now?¡± Finally Vincent turned back. ¡°The timing won¡¯t be precise; we¡¯ll just have to wait,¡± Vincent whispered to the group. ¡°For now, we do our jobs, but don¡¯t get too close to the transport vehicle,¡± he warned. Emi put her hands on her hips, ¡°After all this, if you planted a bomb, I¡¯m gonna be pissed.¡± Vincent¡¯s reply was cut off as the silhouette of Captain Donovan started heading toward them. ¡°Danny, try to stay close to the supplies, everyone else, don¡¯t get too far from the truck either. That¡¯ll be the easiest place to escape from. Move!¡± he whispered hurriedly. ¡°What the hell is this? Get to work!¡± Donovan shouted as he neared their group, and the crew scrambled off in different directions. As Vincent put some distance between himself and the others, he looked down at the gauge on his arm as Danny had taught them, and began looking for dense clouds of Alpha. In truth, he wished he had more surety in the timing of the distraction he¡¯d arranged, but at this point he¡¯d done everything he could. All that was left was waiting. *** Vincent had slowly gotten lost in the repetitive work of vacuuming up Alpha and then trudging back to the storage tank on the harvester to deposit it. More than an hour had passed, and anxiety and boredom now warred within him. It was still undeniably stressful, but the work required just enough movement and concentration that he was occasionally able to forget that he was waiting for the biggest moment of his life. He had to remind himself to follow his own instructions, and keep within the general area surrounding the transport vehicle. It wasn¡¯t easy as he could barely see its massive looming shape when he was more than a dozen paces away, but he slowly developed an intuitive sense of where he was in relation to it. He only truly let his mind wander when he neared an old brownstone. It was in remarkably good condition given how long ago it had likely been abandoned. The brick had lost any sense of its original coloring after years of exposure to the Radstorms, but the building was still familiar enough to finally spark something in Vincent¡¯s mind. His family hadn¡¯t spent all of their time with the Cult of the Mind, though it had felt like it to a small, bored child. Most of Vincent¡¯s memories of his father were actually from a home not unlike the one he was now in front of. There was discarded trash all around the entrance, and boards on the windows, but Vincent could still remember walking up similar concrete steps, his father waiting for him inside. A dull thump echoed through the streets, and Vincent whirled around in the transport truck¡¯s direction. His reverie was instantly forgotten as the sound repeated, and he could hear muttering from an unseen guard nearby. At some point he¡¯d lost track of the crew, but he knew they¡¯d be waiting for a sign as desperately as he was. Vincent moved back toward the line of trucks at an even pace, not wanting to draw attention. There were three vehicles, all lined up along the street. There were two harvesters bookending the third, one for the other eight students somewhere slightly to the North, while Danny¡¯s group was deployed to the South. In the center, was the massive steel block atop the transport vehicle, still chained to the truck bed, but with a growing crowd of guards surrounding it. Vincent noticed a tall student in a hazmat suit loitering near their harvester, and gave a relieved nod at Danny. As he got closer, he was able to make out a heated conversation between Captain Donovan and the other guards. ¡°...telling you it¡¯s not possible,¡± he said. ¡°We all heard it!¡± a guard insisted. ¡°Then start looking for Beta addicts screwing with us! They¡¯re probably trying to draw us away from the kids so they can get their disgusting hands on some Alpha!¡± Captain Donovan shot back. ¡°I know what I heard,¡± the guard muttered unhappily, and the Captain sighed loudly, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°You have any idea how many of these transports I¡¯ve done over the years?¡± he said tiredly. ¡°If you saw what they did to prepare for these things you wouldn¡¯t be asking stupid questions. You¡¯d be finding the braindead junky who¡¯s outsmarting you by throwing stones!¡± The guards looked suitably dressed down by the tirade, and they began to disperse, weapons raised. Vincent hastily made himself look busy, glancing pointedly down at his gauge. The guards only managed a few more steps, however, before another thud rang out. This time the whole steel box shook, and the chains holding it jingled slightly. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Beta-head must have thrown a pretty damn big stone that time,¡± a guard shouted sarcastically, but the Captain didn¡¯t answer. He had his weapon raised, and was slowly approaching the truck. ¡°Check the chains,¡± he said in a quiet voice, and a few guards rushed to obey. ¡°Secure!¡± came several calls almost at once. Captain Donovan stayed a half dozen paces from the truck, shaking his head. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be able to move¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Gamma starved and comatose, that¡¯s how this works,¡± he said, licking his lips. ¡°Alright, we need to form a smaller perim¨C¡± he was cut off as an enormous crash sounded, and the steel box suddenly warped from a tremendous blow from within. ¡°Guards!¡± Captain Donovan shouted, terror in his voice. ¡°I need everyone, now!¡± His words were punctuated by another impact. This time, the entire steel wall of the box¨Cnearly a foot thick¨Ccame flying off, crashing into a car on the opposite side of the street. ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± the Captain said in disbelief. ¡°Open fire!¡± he called, and from the dense green fog a dozen rifles lit up as they began blasting with no restraint at the dark interior of the box. This is it, Vincent thought, looking around for the crew. Danny was rapidly looking back and forth between him and the broken steel box, and Vincent gave a quick thumbs up. The tall student immediately ducked down and started retrieving their supplies, but that still left Emi and Lucia, and Vincent could only hope they were somewhere safe. He looked back at the broken box, just in time to see an enormous hand reach out and grip the edge. It was bloodied from the impact of the bullets, but the wounds looked superficial, and a moment later a gigantic, disproportionate body joined it. A horrible scream, half growl, half wail of pain echoed through the street, as Robert ¡°Berserker Bob¡± Haufman flung his almost eight foot frame out of the tiny cell. He slammed into the nearest guard, crushing the man into the pavement, before standing up to his full height. He tilted his head back and roared once again. Some of the guards were backing away in fear, their weapons forgotten, and Vincent considered that Robert truly looked monstrous at the moment. His Manifestation still hadn¡¯t stabilized, and one arm was far larger than the other, with back muscles jutting out in disturbing ways. He was even larger than that day in the library, what felt like a lifetime ago. Beyond that, his black hair and bare chest were covered in his own blood, and he was clearly enraged. Robert began leaping from guard to guard, grabbing them by any body part he could reach, and hurling them like limp dolls around the street. The guards were all Basics, with strength only a little beyond Adepts, and they proved entirely unprepared for the relentless onslaught of the Berserker. Vincent found himself unable to take his eyes from the horrifying, but admittedly impressive display. The Captain had been right, of course. Students being transported from Last Chance Row would normally be comatose from being denied Gamma after a forced Manifestation¨Ctheir bodies were so reliant on it from the years of injections that they shut down if it was removed suddenly. Thankfully, Vincent had been able to dump several months worth of doses into Robert¡¯s cell when he¡¯d broken into the high-security building all those nights ago. It had clearly done its job, and the distraction was working better than he¡¯d hoped. Danny rushed up next to him, as several more guards charged past. ¡°Berserker Bob is your distraction?!¡± he said far too loudly. ¡°How the hell did you pull this off?¡± Vincent glanced at his friend, confirming he had the supplies. ¡°Later; we need to find Emi and Lucia and get out of here. Bob isn¡¯t immortal, just powerful and angry,¡± Vincent replied. Danny pointed to the North, ¡°I saw them tucked behind a car over there, let¡¯s do this!¡± He began racing off in that direction, thankfully not standing out among the chaos that Robert was causing. There were numerous guards now struggling to keep out of his impressive reach, and more than one had broken bones or even more severe injuries. Most would survive though, as long as Robert didn¡¯t take things too far. Vincent noticed a few of the other students had gathered to watch the display, as foolish as that seemed. He considered that they didn¡¯t have much choice though, as the ¡®safety¡¯ of the guard¡¯s perimeter was disappearing, and their harnesses were still rigged to explode. He and Danny reached an abandoned car that looked like it may have been red a few decades ago, and relief flowed over him as he saw two students huddling on the other side. ¡°It¡¯s us!¡± Danny called out as they squeezed up against the two. ¡°Us too,¡± Lucia said, as their faces were still hard to see. ¡°This is your distraction?¡± she said to Vincent, echoing Danny¡¯s words. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell us?¡± Emi asked, though she seemed more excited than angry. ¡°Later,¡± Vincent said again, popping his head back up to survey the scene. He needed to count the guards in order to estimate the current state of the perimeter. Two down, Two engaged directly with Robert, and seven¨Cno, eight firing at him every chance they get. Vincent knew there were sixteen guards total, and with the twelve here that left four unaccounted for. As he watched, guard thirteen made himself known, as Captain Donovan crashed into Robert from above. Vincent¡¯s eyes widened as Robert was forced back, taking strike after precise strike from the diminutive, yet clearly skilled Captain. ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s a Basic,¡± he said in disbelief as the man dodged and struck with remarkable speed and strength. Vincent ducked back down. ¡°The entire perimeter has three guards at most,¡± he said, looking at his frightened but excited crew. ¡°This is our chance, there¡¯s an alleyway just to the South of here.¡± Emi was still watching the wild battle at the trucks, ¡°I have to hand it to you, Villari, maybe we didn¡¯t need a bomb. I¡¯m not convinced this is less deadly, though.¡± Vincent glanced back to see Robert in the middle of a brutal counter attack, swatting down the other guards when he couldn¡¯t catch Captain Donovan. ¡°Robert isn¡¯t trying to kill anyone,¡± Vincent said. ¡°People shouldn¡¯t have to die just so we can escape¨Cwhich we should be doing right now.¡± The others nodded and Emi turned from the fight. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll lead the way,¡± Vincent said, then began moving back around the ruined car. He went slowly, eyes on the guards who were continually repositioning for clear shots on the wild Berserker. Fortunately none turned their way, clearly more interested in avoiding sharing the fate of their many injured comrades. Vincent and the crew were nearly at the mouth of the alleyway when they heard Robert unleash another furious howl. None of them could resist looking back, their curiosity too strong. The Captain had somehow managed to jump onto the giant¡¯s back, and had one arm wrapped around Robert¡¯s neck, while another slashed and stabbed with a knife. Berserker Bob was living up to his name, however, as his rage and madness was clearly growing with every shallow wound¨Cthe knife barely able to penetrate his thick skin. The Captain was struggling to hold on, stab, and dodge attacks at the same time, and finally his luck ran out when Robert managed to wrap a gargantuan hand around his forearm. The knife clattered to the ground, but the giant was far from done. He ripped the Captain off of his back, then with terrifying strength he hurled the man away from him. Captain Donovan went soaring across the street, easily thirty feet without any loss of momentum. His flight came to a sudden and dramatic end when he crashed directly into the harvester they¡¯d arrived in. Vincent¡¯s jaw dropped as the fog cleared just enough to give a complete view of what had happened. The Captain had been thrown through the Alpha storage cylinder, which was now in absolute ruins. The Alpha collectors the students wore absorbed the particles from the air and liquified them, and that solution was then transferred to the storage cylinder. Eight people collecting for over an hour was less than a quarter of what the tank could hold, but it was still many gallons of concentrated Alpha, all of which were now spilling onto the streets. ¡°This may be a problem,¡± Vincent said. ¡°What, why?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°The Captain was probably the only one with the authority to send guards after us. Isn¡¯t this a good thing?¡± ¡°Not that. Not him,¡± Danny said, fear making his voice quiver. ¡°It¡¯s the Alpha, it¡¯s everywhere,¡± he finished. ¡°So what? We¡¯re leaving!¡± Emi said, still not understanding. ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Vincent said. ¡°The guard perimeter isn¡¯t for the students. The explosives are enough for that.¡± Strange sounds started coming from every direction, and the crew began whipping their heads around, looking for the source. Whispers, groans, and manic laughter echoed all around them. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Danny muttered, backing away from the alley. ¡°They¡¯re everywhere! We¡¯re surrounded!¡± Like a tidal wave, Danny¡¯s words were proven true, as disturbing figures began rushing into the street. They wore ruined, mismatched clothing, and they snarled like animals, some even moving on all fours. They could smell the Alpha, and to them it was the feast of a lifetime. The Beta addicts had arrived. Chapter 23: Always the Plan We thought we were going to save the world¡­ ¡°Everyone throw away your Alpha collectors!¡± Vincent called out to the crew, while hastily unfastening and removing his own. The others followed suit as they backed away from the mouth of the alley. The sounds of approaching Beta addicts were echoing through the narrow path between two brick buildings, and they all shared an immediate sense of intense vulnerability. Vincent hurled his pack as far away from the group as he could, and two more were soaring through the air a moment later. Dark shapes in the green fog of the Radstorm were following the packs before they even hit the ground, and Vincent was grateful he was still thinking clearly enough to discard his. It still took a moment for him to realize one was missing, however. The crew had squeezed back into a corner against the crumbling concrete stairs of a ruined brownstone. Old, dented trash cans were piled up among other refuse to create a small barrier, and combined with the fog, it made a reasonable hiding place. Except for the fact that Emi was currently standing up, while Lucia and Danny tried to help pull off the final Alpha collector. ¡°The clip is broken!¡± Emi said in a panicked whisper. ¡°Can you rip it open?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°It¡¯s metal!¡± she responded with some irritation, then turned an angry glare on him. Her eyes widened though as her gaze shifted over his shoulder. Vincent spun just in time for a short, stocky man to plow into him. He managed to keep his feet, largely because the shorter man¡¯s low tackle had Vincent doubling over on top of him rather than toppling to the ground. The crew was suddenly out of sight as the short man kept pushing, and Vincent found himself nearly in the center of the street. It was absolute chaos. Guards were shooting without pause, and blood mixed with the liquid Alpha running freely from the destroyed containment cylinder as more and more Beta addicts were gunned down. Vincent tried to focus on the madman whose arms were encircling his midsection, and managed to plant his feet after a tense moment. The addict¡¯s bald head was just barely visible, squished against him, and it was so filthy he could look like anything beneath the grime. His back was covered by a torn, brown leather jacket, which was all Vincent could really see as he punched and elbowed his attacker. Just as he started to get control of the situation, his left arm started to sting. Looking at it in confusion, Vincent realized he¡¯d been shot. It was a strange sensation, and he was surprised that it barely hurt¨Cuntil it did. The shock passed far more quickly than he would have liked, and suddenly agony was burning through his arm, while somehow numbness was setting in at the same time. Vincent grit his teeth against the pain. The guards were clearly shooting at anything that moved in the fog, and he and the struggling addict were far too easy a target where they were. Knowing he had little choice, Vincent summoned his powers. A transparent green hand slammed down from his right arm, the Phantasm looking more solid than it had before. The smaller man collapsed to the ground while letting out a surprisingly high-pitched squeal, and the force of the blow was so strong that a small ripple of fog spread out like a shockwave. For a fleeting moment Vincent¡¯s pain was forgotten as he observed the effects of his higher level ability. The moment passed, however, and he reached up to grip the injured limb while ducking down and hobbling back in the direction he came. Figures darted past him as he did so, ignoring the unimportant person among the sea of valuable Alpha. Vincent realized with disgust that some of the bodies he¡¯d thought had been gunned down were actually alive, as he passed several addicts laying on their bellies and slurping the liquid from the ground. The pain was making everything harder to take in, and Vincent¡¯s ears were ringing from the continuous gunfire as he struggled to keep his bearings and get back to his crew. A familiar roar announced the arrival of an even more bloody and wounded Robert, and Vincent could only let himself collapse to the ground for safety as the giant stumbled by. There had to be five or six Beta addicts clinging to him, and Vincent¡¯s stomach turned when he realized they were trying to scrape off and devour his Gamma-laced blood. Robert was clearly in pain, as several had moved on to biting him directly with jagged, broken teeth, but he didn¡¯t appear to be in serious danger. He was ripping each addict off and tossing them away, while clearly running away from the trucks and guards. Vincent turned his foggy mind back toward his own precarious situation as he slowly regained his feet. He¡¯d somehow gotten turned around, and it took him another minute to find the familiar staircase and his friends. He let out a relieved breath when he saw Emi and Lucia. They¡¯d managed to get the pack off, and Emi had clearly used up her shock sticks on the attackers¨Cseveral were convulsing on the ground in front of them. Vincent needed to get a bit closer before he saw Danny, but he turned his shuffle into a desperate charge when he did. His taller friend was pressed against a wall, barely holding back a ragged woman who clearly possessed impressive super strength. Her hair was so filthy that it looked like a dead animal, and it blocked Vincent¡¯s entire view of his friend, save for where Danny was gripping her broken and bloody hands. Lucia appeared to be concentrating on something, hands against her head, while Emi was rushing forward to pull at the woman. Vincent didn¡¯t hesitate, once again calling on his strained powers. He swung his good arm long before he reached the pair, and the green spectral hand extended a half dozen feet in front of him, crashing into the woman¡¯s side and sending her sprawling away. Danny, unfortunately, was knocked down as well, but Emi was already helping him to his feet by the time Vincent hobbled over and ducked into the hiding spot with them. ¡°Dude,¡± Danny said, shaking his head. The helmet of his hazmat suit had been torn off, and Vincent could see the shock in his friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°That was awesome! What the hell is your power, man?¡± Despite the pain and chaos, Vincent realized he was smiling slightly. ¡°Later. Everything later. Survival now,¡± he said. ¡°Are you all okay?¡± The group looked at each other, then themselves, as if unsure, then nodded. Finally Lucia noticed his arm. ¡°What happened? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Bullet wound, but I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he assured her, trying to keep his voice from shaking. Lucia nodded inside her helmet, but he could tell she was concerned. ¡°Really, I will be, let¡¯s just focus on getting out of here.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Lucia said. ¡°But everyone else¡­don¡¯t you hear that?¡± Vincent was confused, but turned back to the street, trying to understand. He could hear a lot of things, despite the ringing in his ears. Gunfire, the moaning and wailing of the addicts, Robert somewhere down the street and¡­and screaming. It wasn¡¯t the ragged, broken voices of people who¡¯d been abusing Beta for years, but high pitched screams of terror. It was the other students. ¡°No,¡± Vincent whispered. The denial was woefully insufficient for the emotions that suddenly surged through him. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°Just a couple of injured guards¡­no one was supposed to die.¡± His mind raced. There has to be something for this in the plan. Or a new plan. Something! Anything! he raged. Vincent stood up and took a shaky step toward the street before hands pulled him back down. ¡°It¡¯s too late,¡± his sister said sadly. ¡°It¡¯s just too late,¡± she said again, as if convincing herself. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Danny asked desperately. ¡°Vince, your powers! You took out that crazy strong lady with one hit!¡± Before Vincent could even answer, Lucia was yelling. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Danny? There¡¯s dozens of them out there! Some of them are actual supers, with god-only-knows what powers!¡± Danny seemed to be about to interrupt, but Lucia wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°You really want to send my brother, your best friend out into that? After he¡¯s already been shot?¡± Danny¡¯s mouth snapped shut, and everyone was feeling the same pressure he was. There were students out there, just like them. Frightened and desperate, helpless and alone. They all wanted to race back into the street, whatever the cost. Vincent had never in his life wanted to be a hero as badly as he did in that moment. ¡°We have to go,¡± someone said, and he realized it had been him. They all knew the reality, no matter that the pain of it was worse than that of his still-bleeding arm. They didn¡¯t have the power for this, even under the best of circumstances, and this had to be about as bad as it could get. Vincent pulled himself to his feet. Hoping this wasn¡¯t more proof that scared people made bad decisions. As he began feeling his way along the wall and back toward the alleyway, he considered that his fear of getting someone hurt may be what would ultimately get all these people killed. Why didn¡¯t I let Emi build us another bomb? A few guards would have died, but the students probably would have been fine. He had been so sure, so certain that his plan would work. And now he wasn¡¯t even certain that he could get his friends out of this alive. He could feel them behind him, following closely, terrified and depending on him. Vincent resolved that he would save them, regardless of what it might cost him. He tore the helmet from his own hazmat suit so he could see a little more clearly. The Alpha particles might actually help him, anyway, as his body had been relying on them in place of Gamma for years. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He moved forward, the green fog still obscuring everything. His eyes followed every shadow and silhouette that creeped past. It wasn¡¯t long before the next addict attacked, and Vincent had a spectral hand through the man¡¯s chest before he was even close. The addict fell, hands clawing uselessly at his own throat while he writhed on the ground. His lungs and heart were likely damaged beyond repair, but Vincent wouldn¡¯t allow himself to think of the man any further. He just kept walking, only ever stopping to glance behind and ensure his crew¨Chis family was okay. In truth, it must have only been a couple of dozen paces back to the alley, but to Vincent¡¯s anxious mind, it felt like miles. Three more times he had to use his powers to knock away desperate Beta addicts, and each time it felt like something within him was tearing. It didn¡¯t feel precisely like pain, especially not compared to the throbbing agony of his left arm, but there was a wrongness to it. Strangely he no longer seemed to struggle to conjure the Phantasm, but instead it was as if he were overusing an already strained muscle. Still, he kept going. Finally the street gave way to the narrow alley, and he ushered the group inside. The fog was slightly less thick inside, though Vincent didn¡¯t understand why. The important thing was that he could see far enough to believe the way might actually be clear, and he let a thin ray of hope shine through him. ¡°We¡¯re almost out of this,¡± he said to the other three. ¡°Good work, Vince,¡± Danny said with more enthusiasm than seemed warranted. Lucia nodded at their tall friend, and Vincent figured he must be trying to make up for their previous exchange. ¡°Let¡¯s not stop then, right?¡± Emi said. She¡¯d been more quiet than usual, and Vincent was only just beginning to understand how scared she must be. ¡°Right,¡± he agreed, then began making his way down the alley. ¡°HELP ME!¡± a desperate voice called from nearby, and Vincent whipped around. Eric Palmer emerged from the fog, crawling toward them. Vincent¡¯s eyes widened in horror when he realized the boy¡¯s left leg ended in a bloody mess below the knee, and took a reflexive step forward. Someone needed help. Eric fell forward, his face slamming into the ground as a Beta addict appeared from the fog and grabbed onto him. Then a second, and a third. Eric raised his head, tears running down his face as blood poured from his nose. ¡°Please¡­¡± he begged, ¡°Vincent, help!¡± He barely managed to get the last out before the addicts started dragging him backward. Arms wrapped around Vincent¡¯s middle, while hands gripped his good arm and pulled. He hadn¡¯t realized he was nearly back in the street until he looked down and realized his entire crew was pulling him back. Lucia darted out in front of him. ¡°We have to go! You can¡¯t help him!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Vincent didn¡¯t know how to explain. ¡°But he asked for help¡­¡± he said weakly. Lucia tore off her helmet so he could see her own tear-filled eyes. ¡°I know, Vincenzo,¡± she said, sounding so much like their mother. ¡°We can¡¯t help him. You can¡¯t help him. Please,¡± she said, hands against his chest, ¡°help us.¡± Vincent looked at her for a moment, something warring within him. Finally he managed to nod, not trusting himself to speak, and he turned back toward the alley. Together, as fast as they could move after their ordeal, they ran. *** The retreat through New Technopolis was slow and terrifying. They soon abandoned their hazmat suits, the bright white making them stand out, even in the Radstorm. Vincent was able to examine his injured arm, and was grateful to find that it had only been a deep graze, and they were able to get the bleeding under control. The first goal after getting as much distance as possible between them and the trucks was to figure out where they were. Apparently it was an area that had been known as the ¡®Upper East Side¡¯, but was now simply a territory of one of many gangs of supervillains in the city, known as the Dollar Bills. ¡®Billsland¡¯ graffiti was everywhere. Their destination was what had been called ¡®Midtown¡¯, which meant they had a considerable walk ahead of them. At first it was slow going, as the Radstorm raged and they feared Beta addicts around every corner. After a couple of brutal hours, however, the storm began to clear, and as visibility improved, they realized just how startlingly alone they were. The civilian population of New Technopolis was just a fraction of what the city had once held, and incredibly concentrated in just a few areas. They apparently weren¡¯t in such an area, as they wandered through endless streets that seemed to be home to nothing but ghosts and rats. As they passed the thousandths ruined car and empty building, the boredom finally beat the fear, and Danny started being Danny again. ¡°Hey Vincent,¡± he asked, ¡°how in the sweet, ever-loving hell did you get Berserker Bob to be our distraction?¡± Both Emi and Lucia immediately turned to look at him as they trudged down the quiet street, the sun¡¯s rays just barely managing to illuminate their path through the refuse. Vincent considered how to answer, wondering if his promise to Robert still applied. He decided it didn¡¯t. ¡°Robert was my first friend on the Farm,¡± he answered, and he smiled slightly at Danny¡¯s look of utter shock. ¡°What? I have other friends,¡± Vincent said. ¡°Name one more,¡± Lucia challenged, an eyebrow raised. Vincent sighed, ¡°Robert came to the Farm a couple of years after Lucia and I did. He didn¡¯t get along well with the other kids. He had a temper.¡± ¡°Oh, Berserker Bob had a temper?¡± Danny asked. ¡°Here I thought Lucia was the insightful one.¡± Vincent ignored the commentary. ¡°I didn¡¯t get along well with the other kids either,¡± Lucia quickly elbowed Danny to stop another interruption. ¡°So we spoke, now and then. He had his own ambitions, even as a child. He didn¡¯t want to be a hero, or a villain, but he wanted powers more than anyone I¡¯ve ever known.¡± They passed under a low bridge, and when they came out the other side, they could see overgrown trees in the distance to the West. Still seemingly alone, Vincent continued. ¡°Robert isn¡¯t a big talker, but we would see each other from time to time as the years passed. When the Gamma injections started, I told him about Veridicus, and staying balanced.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like he followed that particular advice,¡± Emi said. Everyone knew about Robert¡¯s Gamma obsession. ¡°He surprised me, actually. He did believe me. Except endless strength was exactly what he wanted. He would never say why, but Manifesting like he did was always his goal. He had no interest in the Army or NGG though. He¡¯d been planning to escape since he was eight years old.¡± Lucia looked at Vincent, even as he watched the towering buildings appearing out of the fog ahead of them. ¡°Were you planning to go with him?¡± she asked, a hint of accusation in her voice. ¡°No,¡± Vincent answered. ¡°Balanced and ignored was always my plan. But I still gave Robert as much Gamma as I could, and promised to keep his secret. When he said he was close to Manifesting, I helped push him over the edge.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Danny said, way too loudly. ¡°You were trying to do that to him? I thought you were standing up for me!¡± Vincent shook his head, ¡°I was, Danny. That was the fourteenth attempt to make him Manifest. It really helped that he was already mad at you. I think knowing what I was doing was stopping him from getting angry enough to tip over the edge.¡± ¡°But how did that lead to him being part of the plan?¡± Emi asked. ¡°His plan was always simple: stash enough Gamma that he could overpower the guards. I don¡¯t know if it would have worked on its own, but I helped things along by smuggling him as much as I could. I also gave him a note, asking him to wait until the trucks had been stopped for a while before he tried.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you weren¡¯t sure about the timing,¡± Emi replied, nodding. Then after a long pause, she shook her head. ¡°You should have let me build a bomb,¡± she said. ¡°I know,¡± Vincent replied, thinking of Eric. *** ¡°This is it,¡± Vincent said. The sun was still high in the sky when they arrived in front of the abandoned building. It had been eight stories tall, but the top four floors had collapsed, leaving piles of reddish-brown bricks littering the street. The front door was completely destroyed, and blocked by yet more rubble. No one had even bothered to board up the windows, as fire and debris had left the bottom floor almost completely inaccessible. ¡°This is it?¡± Danny repeated skeptically. ¡°Home sweet home,¡± Lucia said quietly, and Emi and Danny gave her twin looks of shock. ¡°This was the Cult of the Mind stronghold that Vincent and I were basically raised in,¡± she explained. Emi was clearly blindsided, but Danny nodded in understanding. He didn¡¯t know everything, but the Villari¡¯s complex origins had come up before. ¡°It has¡­charm,¡± he said unconvincingly, and Vincent barked a small laugh to everyone¡¯s apparent surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Vincent said, ¡°follow me.¡± He led them through a small alley that went behind the building. It was as nondescript as any alley they¡¯d gone through that day, full of trash and debris from the building, but Vincent led them unerringly to a large trash bin, leaning against the wall. Without pause, he pushed his uninjured shoulder against it, and it slid easily to one side. It revealed a small window with a metal door at ground level. Vincent reached down and accessed an electronic panel by moving aside a piece of brick, quickly typing in some numbers. The panel opened obligingly a moment later, and with a ¡°Come on,¡± Vincent ducked and crawled inside. The crew exchanged confused looks¨CLucia included¨Cbut followed nevertheless. They dropped into a simple, unadorned gray hallway, down which Vincent was already striding. They passed a number of doors, many open, but all of which led to destroyed rooms. ¡°How is this hall so clear?¡± Emi asked, but Vincent remained silent, focused on this moment. They reached the end of the hall, and Vincent placed his palm on a seemingly unimportant patch of blank wall. The square around his hand glowed blue for a moment before a section of wall began to slide away. It revealed a simple staircase, and Vincent practically ran down it, the others hurrying behind, their curiosity driving them. The hallway ended in a single, large room that was likely half as wide as the building itself. There was an entire wall of computers and screens, desks and even a small kitchen, all in perfect condition¡­and the lights were on. Vincent moved to the center of the room, between the computers and what looked like an enormous conference table. There was a dais there that looked out of place in the otherwise office-like space. It had a red cloth over it, and a large tome crowning it. The cover was black leather, with a huge red eye embossed in its center. Vincent moved to it reverently, and slowly reached out to rest his hand upon it. ¡°Vincent,¡± Lucia called out, her expression unreadable, ¡°what the hell is this place?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s with the book?¡± Danny added. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Vincent smiled¨Cwidely¨Cand the crew shared surprised glances. ¡°These are our headquarters,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely around them without raising his eyes from the tome. ¡°And this,¡± he said, lifting it carefully, ¡°is the complete works of the Prophet.¡± The group was silent as he turned toward them, each struggling to grasp what he¡¯d said. Vincent finally looked up, still smiling. ¡°As to what we¡¯re going to do, Danny¡­¡± he paused, and a determined expression replaced the unusual smile. ¡°We¡¯re going to take down the New Global Government, and we¡¯re going to destroy the Watcher.¡± Danny¡¯s jaw dropped. Emi grinned. Lucia stared at her brother like he was a stranger. Vincent spoke once more, his conviction growing. ¡°We¡¯re going to save the world.¡± End of Part 1 Chapter 24: New City, New Crew Part 2 Eight Months Later They call me the ¡®Great Hero¡¯, but I¡¯m just a man. The chair was uncomfortable, and Vincent let out an irritated sigh. He¡¯d been waiting in the theatrically dark room for over an hour, with four of Ember¡¯s ¡®best¡¯ soldiers. Two flanked the double doors behind him, while two more were on either side of the large, wooden desk that dominated the room. The solitary window was directly behind the desk, and it had been completely blocked off, leaving a single desk lamp to illuminate an office that must have been twenty by thirty feet. Vincent absently wondered if Ember-Eyes actually used the room for anything other than intimidation, as it had to be depressing for actual day to day use. He was fidgeting now, as they were approaching summer and the room was growing hot from the afternoon sun. The Radstorm clouds meant New Technopolis¨Cor NTC as it was called in homage to its previous name¨Cwas never sweltering, but Vincent had taken to wearing business suits, and a black overcoat. He was eighteen now, but very much aware that most of the people he dealt with saw him as more boy than man, and the fancy attire¨Calmost unheard of in the city¨Cdid a good job of distracting from his age. Most supers beyond Basic aged more slowly anyway, so Vincent was able to pass for his early twenties. As his powers grew and he passed into higher echelons of power, trivialities like climate and food would slowly disappear. But for now, Vincent was hot, thirsty, and annoyed. He looked up at the decorations on the walls to distract himself once more. NTC had been ravaged, looted, rebuilt¨Cthen ravaged again several times since the Invasion, and that made for a lot of interesting quirks. Vincent wondered if the dinosaur skull crudely hammered into the wall was real, or plaster. Either way it certainly didn¡¯t belong in the building it now rested, which had once been some kind of government administration office. There were also a few objects the Invaders left behind, which were common in NTC, which had been a stronghold of the aliens. Vincent scanned them for the hundredth time, but they were largely just shards of indiscriminate metal. He wondered if humans were unintentionally displaying alien bathroom accessories, or something similarly absurd, given how minute their understanding of the Invader¡¯s culture was. Considering that fact compelled him to reach into his pocket and pull out the birthday present Danny had given him. ¡°Hey!¡± one of the guards shouted, ¡°what the hell is that?¡± The tall man¡¯s face was covered, but he spoke with a Russian accent, and was clearly used to being obeyed. Vincent turned a bored expression on him. It was hard to take the Ember gang seriously. He¡¯d quickly learned that the various gangs in NTC tended to follow a single, more powerful super, and part of that apparently meant dressing up like them to some degree. All four guards had various flame patterns on their clothing, some even had tattoos of that nature. The Russian guard came closer and pointed a K-Tech rifle in Vincent¡¯s face. ¡°I asked you a question, asshole!¡± he said, and Vincent let out a sigh. He held up the Invader relic that Danny had stolen from Dean Allister. It was a black hexagon of Invader material, feeling somehow like both metal and stone at the same time. ¡°What it is,¡± Vincent began with undisguised disinterest, ¡°is mine.¡± The man¡¯s eyes squinted, and he reversed his rifle, preparing to strike, but one of the other guards was already pulling him back. ¡°Ember-Eyes will decide his fate,¡± the woman spoke with a similar accent. The man growled, but let himself be walked back to the desk. Vincent had already forgotten about him, and was instead staring at the relic. Danny was right that there was something strangely compelling about it. It was a mildly disturbing feeling, and Vincent suspected it was the reason his friend hadn¡¯t kept it for himself. Still, in the months since he¡¯d been given the odd charm, Vincent had made no more headway figuring out its purpose than anyone else had before him. He remembered Instructor Cassidy talking about the relics, and the theory that they were some kind of key to Invader technology, but this one was little more than an interesting keepsake. Finally the double doors banged open, and Vincent placed the relic back into his pocket. He then pointedly took the dented golden pocket watch from his black suit vest, and made a show of looking at the time before tucking it back in. It was the only thing of his father¡¯s he¡¯d found at the ruined compound, and he enjoyed any excuse to hold it in his hand. Ember-Eyes saw the gesture as he walked past Vincent, and laughed. The man was short, even shorter than Vincent, and interestingly wore less flame-inspired clothing than his underlings did. Perhaps being able to cause fire to appear with a glance was enough branding for him. He was dressed in a long red coat, which covered simple black clothing, and his head was entirely shaved¨Ceven his eyebrows. Ember sat down across from Vincent in the large desk, and spoke, ¡°Did I keep the important man waiting?¡± His accent was European, but not as immediately recognizable as the others. ¡°It¡¯s hot,¡± Vincent replied, and the man laughed again. ¡°You know why I¡¯m here?¡± he asked when Ember had quieted. ¡°Oh, I know whose flunky you are,¡± the hairless man replied. ¡°What I don¡¯t know is why he would send some foolish little asshole to make demands of the great Ember-Eyes.¡± The man pronounced it ¡®Emberize¡¯, and Vincent briefly wondered if everyone else had it wrong; the accent made it hard to tell, and this one didn¡¯t seem like the spell-it-out type. ¡°Dollar Bill recognizes what my benefactor is capable of, and sees the value in building friendships¡­not just piles of bodies,¡± Vincent responded, and the man laughed even harder. ¡°You know, pretty one,¡± Ember said, leaning forward and steepling his fingers on the desk, ¡°it takes a big man to admit when he¡¯s wrong.¡± Vincent cocked his head curiously, and Ember smiled widely. ¡°You see, apparently I did not know whose flunky you were. I thought you belonged to Dollar Bill, and therefore enjoyed his protection.¡± Ember stood up suddenly, and the four guards raised their weapons, training them on Vincent. As the hairless man began to circle his desk, his eyes began to glow with an inner orange light. ¡°You see, I needed a message delivered, and I would have let one of Bill¡¯s minions deliver it alive. I will not extend such courtesy to you and your nameless master.¡± He stopped in front of Vincent, leaning back against his desk with his arms crossed. He tsked loudly, shaking his head. ¡°You come into the heart of my territory, simply demanding I leave? This is foolishness worthy of death. Still, I am deciding whether it merits a quick one, or a¡­fun one.¡± Vincent stood up slowly, careful not to spook the armed guards. He smiled at the man only a few feet in front of him, as he carefully smoothed the emerald shirt he wore beneath his vest, and straightened his black tie. ¡°Mr. Ember-Eyes,¡± he said in a professional tone, ¡°there¡¯s definitely been a mistake.¡± ¡°Oh? Enlighten me,¡± the gang leader replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t just come here to demand you leave,¡± Vincent clarified. ¡°I came to tell you that you either leave, or die.¡± Ember began to laugh again, but his glowing eyes widened as four spectral arms extended from Vincent in the blink of an eye, each ending in hands with disturbingly long fingers and extra joints. All at once, every guard was slammed backward into a wall, their rifles pinned against them as the hands squeezed. Ember looked back at Vincent, shock¨Cand possibly respect¨Cin his gaze. Vincent¡¯s face took on its bored expression once more, but inwardly he was quite pleased with himself. After their escape from the swarm of Beta addicts, Vincent¡¯s powers had been strained to the limit, and his KD had even registered his status as ¡®critical¡¯. Thankfully the damage hadn¡¯t been permanent, but he¡¯d been unable to use his abilities for nearly six months. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Still, he¡¯d been able to exercise his body and mind, as well as enjoy the increased rate at which Manifested supers gained attributes. Through it all, he¡¯d felt his powers within, and his understanding grew. When he¡¯d finally been given a clean bill of health, Vincent had begun truly discovering what he could do. Only two months later, he was more than happy with the results. ¡°So, there is something to you after all, pretty one?¡± Ember said with a wide grin. ¡°I will remember you with some limited fondness,¡± he added, and then the expected blaze of liquid fire erupted from his wide, glowing eyes. It washed over Vincent like molten steel. Truthfully, Vincent had been less confident in the defensive side of his abilities, despite his rigorous training. But as the immense gout of fire broke over the Phantasmal body he projected just a few inches above his skin, he was relieved to confirm his worries were unfounded. Vincent was far from invincible, numerous painful tests had proven that, but fire was something he was particularly unbothered by. One didn¡¯t confront a man who called himself ¡®Ember-Eyes¡¯ without some reasonable certainty of that fact. Still, supers were full of surprises, and he hadn¡¯t been sure the ¡®fire¡¯ the man expelled wasn¡¯t some kind of exotic plasma. Vincent had to keep his own eyes closed until he felt the heat dissipate, and when he finally opened them, the room was changed. The four guards had been nearly incinerated, and most of the office was little more than char and ash, now lit by small fires burning in patches around them. Strangely the walls were intact, suggesting the man had fireproofed this room. Ember himself was looking at Vincent in rage and disbelief, and he backed up a few steps¨Conly possible as the desk was completely gone. Vincent allowed the spectral arms to withdraw and fade away, but kept a thin layer of what he now understood was projected Alpha energy in front of him. ¡°Impossible!¡± Ember shouted, before turning and digging through the ashes on the floor, obviously searching for something. ¡°This isn¡¯t necessary, Ember,¡± Vincent said, walking up to the man who was desperately crawling around. ¡°I have a different proposal for you,¡± he added, kneeling beside the man. ¡°Dollar Bill just wants your gang out of his territory, and for you to stop killing the nice people who deliver food to our fine city.¡± The man was still scrambling, and Vincent wasn¡¯t sure he was even listening. He kept trying, ¡°So let¡¯s make a deal. You agree to follow my benefactor, and you and your people get to live.¡± Ember clearly heard that, as he looked up at Vincent with undisguised rage and hatred. ¡°You, are an arrogant fool,¡± he said. Then his hand came up from the ashes, holding a small device. He pressed a button on it, and the double doors burst open. Vincent stood up slowly, looking back across the office. The doors were apparently steel under a wood frame to have survived the fire, and dozens of Ember¡¯s gang were now charging through them, weapons raised. Vincent sighed, ¡°Consider my offer, Mr. Ember-Eyes. We know you have a lot more people than the hundred or so in this building. We can ensure they¡¯re well taken care of.¡± Ember shook his head again as he regained his feet, ¡°More arrogance!¡± he screamed, then began backing away, giving his people a clean line of fire. Vincent just shook his head in disappointment. He wished just one of these would end the easy way. ¡°Diplomacy has failed,¡± he said aloud, and Ember paused to give him a confused look. A moment later the ceiling¨Calso lined with steel¨Cimploded as an enormous shape burst into the room. There was a long pause as the eight foot man stood up, his knees slightly bent so he could fit in the room. Robert ¡®Berserker Bob¡¯ Haufman had also had a difficult six months, as not only were his own powers strained, but Vincent had convinced him to give up Gamma. The withdrawal was both lengthy and brutal. Still, the man was happy with the results, as his gigantic form had finally settled into symmetrical, nearly-human proportions. His shoulders were easily six feet wide, with arms and a torso to match. His legs were slightly smaller, but equally powerful, and he still trained his massive body as hard as he had back on the farm. Robert pushed his slick, dark hair back from his face, then began brushing dust from the enormous, midnight blue suit he¡¯d insisted Vincent have made for him. Everyone in the room was still frozen, taking in the sight of the pristinely attired monster of a man. Robert turned a disturbingly calm face toward the crowd of fire-themed lackeys, before the exposed skin of his face and hands began to turn red, the veins popping out as if ready to burst. He began to shake, and his fists alternately opened and clenched, before he at last let out his now familiar roar. Time for Bob to go berserk, Vincent thought as his massive friend charged into the group of rightly-terrified gang members. Just one time, he lamented, the easy way, just one time. Then Vincent turned back to Ember, who had backed into a corner. Knowing he had to stop Robert before he brought the whole building down, Vincent didn¡¯t waste time, and two Phantasmal arms burst out of him. One pinned Ember¡¯s hands to his sides, while the other gripped the man¡¯s head, smothering his dangerous eyes. Vincent leaned in close, speaking just loudly enough to be heard over Robert¡¯s rampage. ¡°Now, Mr. Ember, have you heard the Voice of the Revolution? He¡¯s my benefactor, and now yours as well.¡± He leaned closer, making sure the terrified man was listening. ¡°Let me tell you about the great Veridicus.¡± *** Vincent and Robert exited the half-destroyed car in the garage near their headquarters. Vincent looked at the pathetic yellow vehicle, the top of which Robert had torn off. ¡°This thing doesn¡¯t suit our shared aesthetic,¡± he said, his voice echoing in the ruined concrete parking structure. ¡°Find me one big enough to sit in, or drive yourself,¡± Robert said dismissively. ¡°Tall order,¡± Vincent said, then looked at his enormous friend expectantly. ¡°Please, just stop,¡± Robert said, shaking his head. ¡°Danny¡¯s jokes are bad enough. Yours make me sad.¡± Vincent frowned. He¡¯d been forcing himself to try many new things since earning his freedom, but his crew insisted that humor shouldn¡¯t be one of them. For some reason that made it seem like a challenge. The two men took the stairs at the back of the garage, their newly installed ocular K-Devices linking with Emi¡¯s security system to confirm that their path home was clear. As they walked down the familiar back alley, Robert spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you can think any of these gangs are going to listen to that nutcase.¡± Vincent shrugged, ¡°Veridicus will only ever give them one order, and it will be one they want to follow. In the meantime we just need the smaller gangs to lay low, while we build alliances with the larger ones.¡± Robert grunted. They entered the supposedly abandoned building through the new, larger door they¡¯d installed. Robert could fit through the small hatch, but it was a lengthy and embarrassing process. The door sealed behind them, looking like old brick on the outside, and they walked toward the central room. ¡°You said it was today. Do the others know?¡± Robert asked, his impossibly deep voice echoing in the narrow hallway. ¡°Emi and Arthur know about the meeting, Danny just knows to be here,¡± Vincent answered. ¡°Your sister?¡± Robert prompted. Vincent didn¡¯t answer as he unlocked the hidden door. They entered the central room, which hadn¡¯t changed much since they¡¯d moved in. It was more of a workspace, and the crew spent most of their time in the living area further into the compound. Emi was sitting at her desk as usual, having co-opted the entire wall of monitors for her various enterprises. The only major change to the room was the addition of the benches she¡¯d lined up along the far wall, covered in the many Tech-projects only she understood. She turned when they walked in and nodded, before heading to the living area. Arthur was already at the conference table, reading a book, and he looked up when he saw the unmissable form of Robert approaching. Arthur was also someone who appreciated a specific style, and his bright blue button-up shirt and decorative lilac scarf were an interesting contrast to his deep black complexion. Arthur pushed his glasses up on top of his cleanly shaven head to look at Vincent expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s time?¡± he asked. Vincent nodded, then looked around the room. Finally he spotted an elderly woman napping on a bench in the small eating area. ¡°Danny!¡± he shouted, and the woman shot up, turning into a perfect copy of Robert as she did so. Danny looked at Vincent with a sleepy expression Robert would never have worn. ¡°Oh, hey Vince,¡± he said in Danny¡¯s voice, before quickly shifting back into his own form. Thankfully he was only wearing the stretchy outfit Emi had made for him, or he¡¯d have been naked from the rapid size changes¡­again. ¡°It¡¯s time, Danny,¡± Vincent said, and his friend looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened. He quickly went to grab a nearby cup of coffee that had to be completely cold, before hurrying back to join Arthur at the conference table. Robert pushed his special, reinforced chair over and slumped into it, arms crossed. At the same time, Emi returned, leading a clearly upset Lucia behind her. Vincent paused for a moment at seeing his sister, who was wearing a bathrobe and looked like she hadn¡¯t slept in days. She glared back at him, challengingly, and he could only sigh. The two girls joined the others at the conference table, as Vincent threw his long, dark coat over his own chair. He checked his father¡¯s watch by habit as he walked over to the side of the room, then returned pushing a large white board. Danny laughed as Vincent approached the conference table, while Lucia shook her head and Emi just smiled. Moving in front of it, Vincent grabbed a marker and quickly went to work. He turned back almost immediately. ¡°Thank you all for coming,¡± he said, one of his rare, wide smiles growing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he said simply, then moved aside to show the board. It only had two words written on it: ¡®The Plan¡¯. Chapter 25: Triple Infiltration I wasn¡¯t any stronger or braver than the others who were pulled into that God-forsaken arena, I was just luckier. Arthur and Robert looked from the whiteboard to the other four members of the crew in open confusion. ¡°Are we missing something?¡± Arthur asked, his British accent still sounding odd to Vincent even after all these months. The former students were only now beginning to understand how isolated the world had become since the Invasion, and just how poor their education on the farm had been. Vincent had spent as much time since escaping as he could, trying to fill in the gaps in his knowledge. It was hearing Arthur speak aloud for the first time that prompted him to dive into the study of other cultures, which in turn helped him recognize the accents of Ember and his crew. It was fascinating to Vincent that, despite countries ostensibly no longer existing, the world had actually become more xenophobic and isolationist under the NGG. The world¡¯s population was just over two billion, and people were largely confined to specific, dense population centers. Some of that was due to the destruction of the invasion, but Vincent suspected there was more to it. Regardless, learning that Arthur, the master of the Cult¡¯s intelligence network¨Cand someone he¡¯d been speaking to for years in written form¨Cwas actually from a place so distant was an exciting revelation. Air travel was incredibly restricted, and to Vincent, who¡¯d been trapped in Vermont for almost his entire life, other continents may as well have been other worlds. Danny answered the older man¡¯s question. ¡°You¡¯re not missing much, mate,¡± Danny was also becoming more worldly¡­in his own way. ¡°It¡¯s just nostalgic to see Vince back in front of a white board, plotting out some impossible scenario,¡± Arthur nodded in understanding, Robert grunted. ¡°The fact that we¡¯re nostalgic isn¡¯t a good thing,¡± Emi said with undisguised irritation. ¡°Spooky here, told us what came next the first day we arrived, and we haven¡¯t seen any movement in eight months.¡± Vincent glared at her. I never should have told her my class was ¡®Specter¡¯, he thought. ¡°It¡¯ll be quickly apparent what I needed the time for after you let me tell you the details,¡± Vincent countered. Emi opened her mouth to retort, but Robert silenced her by dropping a gargantuan fist on the table. He didn¡¯t have patience for banter when there was something important to be done. Vincent gave him an appreciative nod, while Emi gave him the finger. ¡°As I was saying,¡± Vincent continued, ¡°we have two very specific, and ambitious goals.¡± He wrote on the board as he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re going to destroy the Watcher, and take down the NGG. Thankfully, the first will lead to the second,¡± he said. Lucia turned her red-rimmed eyes onto his, ¡°You never came out and said it,¡± she said in a clearly accusatory tone, ¡°tell us exactly where this plan comes from.¡± Vincent met her gaze unflinchingly. ¡°As my sister knows, this was what the Cult of the Mind was created for,¡± he answered. Arthur and Lucia knew this, of course, but to Emi, Danny, and Robert this was something of a controversial revelation. Danny looked the most uncomfortable, and Vincent wasn¡¯t surprised that he spoke first. ¡°Vince, I know your mother was part of,¡± he gestured at the building around them, ¡°all this¨Coh and Arthur is the coolest man alive,¡± Arthur nodded once. ¡°But, the Cult, man. Everyone knows they tried to take over the world,¡± he finished. ¡°They tried to take over the NGG,¡± Vincent corrected. ¡°The organization that enslaved the world and outlawed Psychics,¡± Danny shrunk under Vincent¡¯s stare, and nodded, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Regardless, we¡¯re not interested in that part of their plan. We only care about this,¡± he walked the short distance to nearby dais and placed his hand on the Book of the Prophet. Lucia rolled her eyes dramatically, ¡°That book is bullshit, Vincent. No one can predict the future; it was just the Cult¡¯s propaganda. Something to justify taking over the world¨Cwhich they absolutely tried to do.¡± Arthur turned his calm gaze on her at that, but stayed silent. He was very good at silence. ¡°Did you read this book?¡± Vincent asked in response. ¡°Of course not,¡± Lucia said dismissively. ¡°I heard enough of that garbage when we were here as kids. I¡¯m not interested in drowning in those fairytales again.¡± Vincent nodded, expecting this. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if you read the prophecies, I asked if you read this particular book,¡± Lucia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Emi did,¡± he added, before flipping to the back of the large tome. Everyone turned their gaze on the Tech, as Vincent placed the book on the conference table. It was open onto pages that were clearly blueprints. ¡°Whoa,¡± Danny said, turning a few pages, and marveling at the complexity of the images. ¡°This is some serious stuff, what¡¯s it mean Emi?¡± Emi Sato¡¯s face scrunched up slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she answered, clearly not liking the truth of the statement. ¡°It¡¯s beyond me. It¡¯s probably beyond almost any Tech on the planet,¡± she added. ¡°All but one,¡± Vincent prompted, and Emi sighed. ¡°All but Tecnico, himself,¡± she said, and eyes widened around the room. Emi continued, ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it. It¡¯s old, a couple of decades at least, but it¡¯s definitely K-Tech, and it¡¯s a level of complexity beyond anything I¡¯ve seen. Some of the base suppositions used for the components reference concepts and laws that only exist in Tecnico¡¯s head¨CI¡¯ve checked. ¡°This is beyond anything on the Network. It¡¯s beyond the Network itself,¡± she said with something akin to awe. ¡°Uh,¡± Danny said, taking it all in. ¡°Okay, so how do we know what it does?¡± he asked. Vincent nodded. ¡°Fair question. Some of it is implied by the prophecies, which refer to it as ¡®the Weapon that Ends Corruption¡¯. The rest comes from Emi¡¯s interpretations of the blueprints. Emi?¡± Everyone turned back to her, and she looked uncharacteristically nervous. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t understand how it¡¯s built, but I can recognize a number of the aggregate components.¡± She pointed at an unrecognizable collection of rectangles. ¡°This is a device to absorb Gamma. A crazy amount of Gamma. I¡¯m surprised they could even produce this much when it was designed.¡± She flipped a few pages ahead, stopping on something cylindrical. ¡°This is¡­well, what it seems. Basically a gun-barrel. It can be aimed at a target, and fires something.¡± ¡°Something?¡± Danny asked. Vincent quickly glanced over to gauge his sister¡¯s reaction, and was pleased to see that some of her skepticism was forgotten, as she too stared at the remarkable diagrams. They were made by the most legendary Tech the world had ever known, who was also their mother¡¯s former teammate. Emi flipped the pages again, stopping at something spherical, and vastly more complex than the other two components. ¡°Something,¡± she said again. ¡°This is the part I understand the least. It¡¯s the heart of the device, so to speak. It takes the Gamma, processes it somehow, then sends it to the barrel. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Lucia asked suspiciously. Emi sighed, ¡°¡®But¡¯¡­so many things. But I don¡¯t understand what it does. But I don¡¯t understand how it does it. But¡­But it¡¯s too complicated.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Vincent asked. Emi hadn¡¯t mentioned this the last time they spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this a lot, Spooky,¡± she said, tracing her finger along the designs. ¡°I don¡¯t think it just does one thing,¡± she turned a page, pointing at more inscrutable blueprints. ¡°I think this part was added after, and that it adds some kind of second function.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Vincent considered that for a moment. ¡°Okay, for now focus on what you do know.¡± Emi nodded. ¡°Well, some part of the process involves synchronizing with an external energy source, and destabilizing it. That much I know, and it¡¯s what leads us to believe we understand its overall function.¡± ¡°Which energy source?¡± Lucia asked, likely suspecting the answer. ¡°The Watcher,¡± Vincent supplied. ¡°It synchronizes with the energy being expelled from the Asteroid, and makes it volatile somehow. Volatile energy explodes,¡± he explained with a smile, but Emi looked unsure. ¡°Emi?¡± Lucia prompted. ¡°He might be right, I just don¡¯t know. Like I said, this is too far beyond me.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s the part I don¡¯t get,¡± Danny chimed in. ¡°If it¡¯s this far beyond Emi, who is the best¨Cand only¨CTech I know, what¡¯s the point of all this? Are we hoping she keeps leveling up until she can build it?¡± Now Vincent smiled widely again, returning to the white board, and writing. ¡°Arthur?¡± he prompted. The dark skinned man stood up to be more easily seen, then spoke. ¡°The attack on the Cult wasn¡¯t what people were told,¡± he announced. ¡°Yes, to some extent, the NGG simply wanted to be rid of us, but that had been true for years. The reason they finally committed such an overwhelming force to the effort was because of the device,¡± he indicated the blueprints. ¡°The truth of its purpose was known only to the Prophet and a few trusted agents, but we were all told it was the key to stopping the NGG, and taking back our world,¡± he looked away, rare emotion touching his sharp features. ¡°The assault came when the device was near completion. It was a terrible operation with no subtlety, likely because of the need to act so quickly,¡± he said. Lucia looked away angrily. ¡°We remember,¡± she said simply. Arthur nodded, ¡°What you could not have known as children, was that the device was here.¡± Lucia looked back at him, surprise clear on her features. ¡°This is a more important facility than you may have realized, in no small part because of its proximity to Tecnico¡¯s little Kingdom. ¡°The device was constructed here, and meant to be used here as well, but then the attack came,¡± he crossed his arms. ¡°We had many agents then, and were given some foreknowledge of the impending assault. We had enough time to dissemble the device into three pieces. Vincent?¡± He returned to his seat. ¡°Thank you, Arthur,¡± Vincent replied, stepping back from the board, which now had additional writing on it. The Plan: Assemble the Device ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Lucia said in utter disbelief. ¡°Vince,¡± Danny said slowly, ¡°last time we just wanted out of our shitty school. Even then it was a lot of close calls. You can¡¯t seriously want us to rob the NGG, the Cult, and K-Tower,¡± he said. ¡°Rob, borrow, compel, convince,¡± Vincent answered casually, ¡°good plans have room for flexibility.¡± Seeing the disbelief and irritation on the faces of the crew, he decided to dive into specifics. ¡°It¡¯s not as outlandish as it sounds,¡± he insisted. ¡°And it¡¯s precisely why I needed so much prep-time before bringing the plan to you.¡± He gestured to Arthur, ¡°We¡¯ve been working on this since before the five of us broke out of the Farm. There are plans in place to infiltrate each one of these groups, and get you all as close as possible to devices¨Cor the people who know where they are, as the case may be.¡± That didn¡¯t seem to give them as much relief as he¡¯d hoped. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Danny said incredulously. ¡°What do you mean ¡®you¡¯, or¡­¡¯us¡¯, I guess.¡± He shook his head and started over. ¡°What do you mean we will be doing it? What about you?¡± Vincent clenched his jaw. They had all been a lot more onboard when he¡¯d pictured this moment. ¡°I have my own part to play. Robert and I will be continuing to build up alliances in NTC. We need to establish a fighting force against the NGG ¡®Heroes¡¯, and in the short term there¡¯s only one possible source for that army.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± Danny said. ¡°Us, the Knicks, the Dollar Bills, and the Rangers, vs the entire New Global Government. At least when we die we¡¯ll be in the worst possible company.¡± Vincent ran a hand over his face, ¡°Can you all please just let me tell you the plan before you tear every single part down. Haven¡¯t I earned that?¡± There was an awkward silence as the crew looked at one another. Surprisingly, it was Lucia who answered. ¡°You have earned that,¡± she said in a whisper, and it sounded difficult for her to speak. ¡°We¡¯re sorry. Tell us the plan,¡± Emi and Danny nodded. Emi not seeming to care either way, Danny looking chagrined. ¡°Thank you,¡± Vincent gestured at the board. ¡°All three of these goals came down to the same thing: building the right connections to make infiltration possible. You can likely guess that two of them are easier than the third.¡± Danny opened his mouth, then physically bit back a comment. ¡°Emi, you¡¯ll be taking a position at K-Tower. We can¡¯t simply get you into the Tech-Knights, they¡¯re too prestigious an organization within K-Tech. We couldn¡¯t even get information on their selection process,¡± he added. ¡°Not surprising,¡± Emi said. ¡°They¡¯re supposed to work with the man himself, and Tecnico doesn¡¯t have a reputation for being big on new people.¡± ¡°Very true,¡± Vincent agreed. ¡°What we can do is get you in the building. Arthur?¡± The man stood formally once more, ¡°Our contacts were able to convince one of the R&D units of your advanced talents. We were able to use your real inventions,¡± he gestured to the many benches covered in various devices, ¡°which will make things a lot easier. Your identity will be false, however. K-Tech may not show much respect for the NGG anymore, but they don¡¯t harbor fugitives.¡± ¡°That takes us to Lucia,¡± Vincent said, knowing time was running out on his excitable crew staying relatively agreeable. Strangely though, his sister already looked resigned. ¡°Obviously you¡¯ll be going to the Cult. Not only only will that give you an opportunity to locate the portion of the device they took, but¨C¡± ¡°It will also get me the training I need,¡± she finished. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± she added, and Vincent raised an eyebrow in surprise. He¡¯d expected her to be the hardest sell. Her hatred for her own powers was matched only by any reminder of their mother, and there was no stronger example of that than the Cult they¡¯d been raised in. Arthur seemed to recognize that the moment was strained, and stepped in. ¡°The Cult was the easiest part of the plan. Not only did we not require a new identity, the name ¡®Villari¡¯ was enough for them to extend an immediate invitation. You¡¯ll be taken to the London compound, and treated with the utmost respect.¡± Lucia looked up with some surprise at the mention of London, but after a moment she merely nodded. ¡°My turn!¡± Danny suddenly blurted, and everyone turned to see him practically bouncing out of his chair. Vincent had expected this part to go one of two ways given the target was Legacy, but he suspected the other possibility was still likely given the realities of what he was about to propose. ¡°Your turn,¡± Vincent agreed. ¡°There aren¡¯t many ways to get close to Legacy, and even fewer that would put someone in a position to learn such a dangerous secret,¡± Danny was starting to look more subdued as he waited for the other shoe to drop. ¡°You¡¯ll be joining Young Infinity,¡± Vincent announced. Rather than react, Danny just stared at him. The seconds ticked past and everyone turned to look at the shapeshifter expectantly. Danny remained frozen. At last Lucia smiled¨Ca true rarity these days. ¡°Vincent, you just told Danny that all his childhood dreams are coming true.¡± Vincent turned to her, confusion coloring his features. Of course, he thought, feeling foolish. He hadn¡¯t looked at it from that perspective. Vincent was aware of Danny¡¯s near-worship of Legacy, and it had blinded him to Danny¡¯s other, more childish obsession: he wanted to be a Hero. A real one, something Vincent didn¡¯t truly believe existed in this world. ¡°I¡¯m going to be in Young Infinity?¡± Danny finally managed to whisper. His mind seemed to catch up with the moment all at once. ¡°Wait, so you think Mimic powers are enough to contend with the elite power sets that the NGG has been building up? Vince, you¡¯re the one who told me those people were beyond the best of the best.¡± ¡°Actually no, you won¡¯t be going as a Mimic,¡± Arthur said, stepping in. ¡°We¡¯ve looked everywhere¨Cand with my network that¡¯s a more meaningful statement than I could even communicate¨Cand no one has heard of Mimics. If you show up with your own power set, there¡¯s a good chance you¡¯d be imprisoned immediately,¡± he ended in a serious tone. ¡°Wait, so you want me to Mimic someone else¡¯s power?¡± Danny asked. His second Manifestation had happened recently, and exactly as they¡¯d expected. Danny used his powers constantly¨Capparently even in his sleep¨Cand he¡¯d quickly outpaced the others. Now he was not only able to take on someone¡¯s physical state, but duplicate their powers as well. ¡°I guess if I copied Vincent¡¯s I could turn some heads, but there¡¯s no way I could keep up with the elites with like¡­one limp green hand,¡± Emi barked a laugh, and Robert let out a deep growl that they¡¯d learned meant the same thing. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Vincent said. ¡°Oh, sorry man,¡± Danny said, realizing how that had sounded. ¡°Your powers are cool, that¡¯s what I meant¨Cthey¡¯d get people¡¯s attention. But my ability only gives me a fraction of the power I¡¯m copying.¡± Arthur spoke up once more, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a moot point,¡± he said. ¡°Vincent¡¯s powers are even more mysterious than your own. Yours are at least documented on the Network, which suggests they might be a well-kept, and therefore dangerous NGG secret. Your powers would get you arrested, Vincent¡¯s would get you sent to a lab.¡± ¡°Well then, what do you want me to do?¡± He gave Arthur a sly look. ¡°Do I get to copy your secret powers, Art?¡± ¡°No,¡± Arthur replied simply. ¡°Come on, man! It¡¯s super weird that I can¡¯t just do it. I don¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s permission, you must be hiding the good stuff!¡± Danny waited, but Arthur¡¯s face was impassive. When it was clear the mysterious man wouldn¡¯t be indulging him, Danny turned back to Vincent. ¡°Okay fine, so who then?¡± he asked. ¡°The only person who¡¯s powers would make you stand out above any elite, while also attracting the specific attention you¡¯ll need.¡± Danny¡¯s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped as he seemed to make the connection. Vincent smiled back, ¡°You¡¯ll be Mimicking Legacy, himself.¡± Chapter 26: Carved Destiny The Invaders had honor. People refuse to believe it, but it¡¯s the real reason I was able to kill so many of them. ¡°I¡¯m going to be the new Legacy!?¡± Danny said, his voice turning into such a squeal that it was actually hard to understand him. Vincent nodded, preparing to answer, but Danny wasn¡¯t done. ¡°I¡¯m going to be Legacy¡¯s legacy! No wait¡­KID Legacy! No wait, Son of Leg¨Cno that¡¯s worse. Legacy Lad! Wait, maybe¡­¡± This went on for several minutes. At first Vincent had tried to cut in, but the entire group became almost hypnotized by Danny¡¯s endless list of names. After a while, even Robert fell victim to their friend¡¯s enthusiasm, and grumbled out his own suggestion. ¡°Armasmell?¡± Danny said in open confusion, then sounded it out. ¡°Wait, Arm-a-smell? Like the opposite of Leg-a-see? Dude, that is the stupidest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± ¡°Suits you, then,¡± Robert grumbled, but his mouth was actually lifted into a small smile. ¡°Wait, are you mocking me?¡± Danny said incredulously. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you knew how to do that,¡± he added with genuine surprise. Vincent saw his opportunity to move on and spoke up. ¡°Enough. Please¡­enough,¡± Danny turned back to him, looking as if he¡¯d forgotten Vincent had been telling them the plan. Seeing his friend¡¯s serious expression, Danny blushed. ¡°Right, sorry. That particular crucial part of the plan can wait until later. So¡­how do we do this?¡± He paused, appearing to consider this revelation deeper for the first time. ¡°How did I get accepted into Young Infinity? If I¡¯m supposed to Mimic someone¡¯s appearance, we¡¯re in trouble¨CI can¡¯t do appearance and powers at the same time yet.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± Emi asked with surprise. ¡°So when you turn into Robert you¡¯re just¡­a giant version of yourself? Danny shrugged, ¡°More or less. I get the same mass though, so it¡¯s more like what my muscles would be like if I were normally that big. But no super strength, no Berserker rage, no reduced intelligence.¡± Robert wheeled around, ¡°My intelligence isn¡¯t¨C¡± he saw Danny grinning, and let out a long, ominous growl. Vincent interceded once more. ¡°No, Danny, you won¡¯t need to shapeshift. Arthur, can you please brief the crew on how you managed to arrange this particularly impressive opportunity?¡± Vincent asked. Arthur, who had been entirely blank faced through Danny¡¯s ad hoc brainstorming session, finally smiled slightly. ¡°This was a truly fortuitous mixture of luck and planning. Candidates for Young Infinity are selected by recruiters, who travel between farms¨Cpredominantly in North America¨Cin search of recently Manifested youths with remarkable potential.¡± He tapped his left temple, and his ocular K-Device projected images into the center of the table where everyone could see. It was a farm, looking much like the one they¡¯d left, only it was half in ruins. ¡°You may be aware that the Farm in Vancouver was broken into last year. Nightshade, a local Villain, caused the destruction you¡¯re seeing. Many Adepts escaped¨Cothers were killed by the explosives in their harnesses.¡± ¡°Wait, only some were killed by the harnesses?¡± Emi asked curiously. ¡°Indeed,¡± Arthur responded. ¡°That curiosity has led to speculation that Nightshade was working with someone, possibly a Tech, who managed to disable some of the explosives. I¡¯ve been unable to confirm this however.¡± ¡°How does this relate to me?¡± Danny asked. Arthur changed the image, pulling up a Student record for someone named Daniel Summers; there was no picture. ¡°There¡¯s another reason that a Tech was suspected to be involved. Student files are notoriously unreliable at Farms. This is encouraged by the NGG, in order to make it easier to disguise ¡®training accidents¡¯, and other supposed causes of student fatalities.¡± The crew looked uniformly angry at being reminded of just how cruel life on the Farm had been. ¡°As such,¡± Arthur continued, ¡°the only definitive records of students are held on local Farm storage¨Cwhich in this case, was wiped clean. This is the origin of our particular opportunity.¡± He gestured at the picture, ¡°Daniel Summers¡¯ records were discovered mysteriously in a former hideout of Nightshade several weeks ago. The search for her is ongoing, afterall.¡± He swapped to an image of a nondescript warehouse, surrounded by NGG elites. ¡°NGG operatives found these records on a ¡®forgotten¡¯ datapad, and immediately contacted a local recruiter. After all, the records indicate that the exceptional Mr. Summers had very recently Manifested the previously unique power set of Legacy himself.¡± ¡°Wait, seriously?¡± Danny said. ¡°You¡¯re telling us there¡¯s actually a guy walking around with Legacy¡¯s powers? And his name is Danny? Well, Daniel, but still!¡± Robert buried his face in one of his enormous hands. ¡°Right, I¡¯m the one with reduced intelligence,¡± he muttered. Danny looked at him in confusion, but Arthur explained with no hint of disappointment. ¡°No, Mr. Mackenzie, Daniel Summers is a fiction. We created his records, and planted them where we knew the NGG would find them. We also strongly implied he was the reason why Nightshade broke into the farm in the first place.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Danny said. ¡°That makes sense. And I¡¯m supposed to pretend to be this other Danny, who has Legacy¡¯s powers. I get it. I get plans,¡± he said, looking at Robert challengingly. He turned back to Arthur, ¡°Okay, so how do I get from here to Young Infinity based on¡­¡± he gestured vaguely, ¡°all this cool stuff you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Part of the reason we¡¯ve finally shared the plan,¡± Vincent answered, ¡°is because Arthur has just confirmed what we¡¯d been hoping. The recruiter took one look at the file, and contacted Legacy directly.¡± ¡°It was imperative that Legacy be informed,¡± Arthur added. ¡°We couldn¡¯t be certain how the NGG as a whole would react¨Cfor all we know Legacy¡¯s powers are restricted somehow¨Cwe needed to be sure we had the man¡¯s personal interest.¡± ¡°Arthur made sure the files specifically mentioned the recruiter¨Cwe had contingencies, but we were counting on the NGG team reacting the way they did,¡± Vincent said. ¡°Which brings us to now,¡± Arthur continued. ¡°There was also evidence that will lead the NGG to another location in three days. Legacy is leading the team personally, and while he won¡¯t find any trace of Nightshade, he will find Daniel Summers, captured, but having nobly resisted the Villain¡¯s influence thanks to his remarkable loyalty to the NGG.¡± He switched the image again, and Daniel Summers¡¯ student record appeared once more, but with Danny¡¯s picture now a part of it. ¡°Whoa, hold on,¡± Danny said. ¡°Three days? That¡¯s all the time I have to prepare?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes,¡± Vincent said. ¡°We didn¡¯t have control over the timeline, and this was our third iteration of the plan. You were supposed to have two months. However, the NGG elites moving in on an abandoned safehouse¨Cone we were actually aware of¨Cwas too good to resist.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Arthur nodded, ¡°It was for the good of the plan, and your own safety, Danny. We couldn¡¯t risk any scenario where you aren¡¯t guaranteed to cross paths with Legacy almost immediately. If someone wanted to check your powers for themselves, you would fail that test and be at the mercy of the NGG.¡± ¡°That and most versions of this plan were unacceptable,¡± Vincent added. ¡°Swapping positions with any living student presented logistical, and moral complications. I know this isn¡¯t much time to prepare, Danny, but it¡¯s the only way to achieve everything we need.¡± Danny considered. ¡°So I¡¯m a mysterious, powerful student that was stolen from my Farm by a sexy villain.¡± ¡°No one even knows what Nightshade looks like,¡± Emi cut in. ¡°By a SEXY villain,¡± Danny insisted. ¡°And a recruiter for Young Infinity has already recommended me, and Legacy himself has heard of me, and is coming to rescue me.¡± He tapped his lip in thought. ¡°As long as he¡¯s anywhere near me I can copy his powers, but I won¡¯t be very impressive with them.¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a surprise. You Manifested just before the breakout, and you¡¯ve been Gamma starved by¨C¡± Danny looked at Vincent and cleared his throat pointedly. Vincent sighed. ¡°Gamma starved by a sexy Villain for months,¡± he finished. Arthur took up the thread, ¡°I¡¯ll be spending the next few days with you to give as much training and guidance as possible. Honestly though, you know what it¡¯s like to be on a farm for most of your life, and what it¡¯s like for the students there. Combined with your Mimic¡¯s abilities to copy mannerisms, you already have most of what you need.¡± ¡°Just memorize some key names from the Vancouver farm, and work with Arthur to develop a believable version of your life on the run with Nightshade,¡± Vincent said. There was a long pause as Danny seemed to consider it all. Vincent frowned, looking at Arthur. As important as this was, he wouldn¡¯t push his closest friend into it. Vincent had made mistakes before, and he was already putting everyone he cared about in more danger than he liked. If Danny truly wasn¡¯t willing to take this risk, Vincent would find another way. As Danny continued to stare blankly into the distance, Vincent decided to speak up¨Cit wasn¡¯t fair to make his friend¨C ¡°Damn it!¡± Danny said in almost a yell, causing several people to jump. ¡°Danny, it¡¯s okay,¡± Vincent began. ¡°We¡¯re asking too much of you, I¡¯m sorry.¡± His friend looked confused, and reached up to tap his temple. ¡°What? Oh no, it¡¯s not that. I was using my KD to look up synonyms for ¡®Legacy¡¯ to help me with my Superhero name, and I found the perfect one,¡± he replied. Vincent¡¯s face screwed up in irritation. ¡°Then why did you yell?¡± ¡°Well, apparently Legacy can also mean ¡®endowment¡¯, which is really fitting, but I can¡¯t come up with a catchy name. Any ideas?¡± As if rehearsed, the rest of the crew looked at one another silently, then got up and left the room. *** A few minutes later, Vincent was standing in front of Lucia¡¯s room, trying to figure out how to speak to his sister. It wasn¡¯t long ago that it would have been easy, but times had changed, and so had they. At last he knocked. The rooms were soundproofed, and Vincent had to wait, unsure if she was going to open the door. He was raising his hand to knock again when it finally swung open. Lucia, still looking ragged and exhausted, just glanced at him before gesturing for him to join her. He followed, shutting the door behind him. Their new rooms were extravagant compared to the dorms, even though they were meant to be temporary, emergency housing for the Cult members. The room was large, and comfortable. It had a screen which synced to KDs, a small fridge and even a kitchenette. There was a comfortable looking brown couch, and a large bed that matched his own in the room across the hall. There was also clothing everywhere, and dishes piled up in the small sink. The bathroom door was closed, but Vincent imagined it was in a similar state of the rest of the place. ¡°Sit down wherever,¡± Lucia said, dropping onto the couch. Vincent remained standing, leaning against a wall and looking at his older sister. ¡°I thought it would be harder to convince you,¡± he said simply. ¡°A few months ago, it would have been impossible,¡± she said, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. ¡°You seemed happy at first to have some freedom. Even if it was here,¡± he gestured to the stronghold their mother had loved. ¡°But things changed. You wouldn¡¯t talk about it.¡± She gave him a tired look, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about, Vincent. I knew you¡¯d figure it out on your own, and there was nothing you could do.¡± She paused, looking away from him. ¡°Nothing you could do, except exactly what you just did.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t speak for a long moment, knowing this was one of the moments where his difficulty processing other people¡¯s emotions was a true handicap. He decided to just be himself, Lucia would know instantly if he was putting on some display. ¡°When did you gain your second ability? How did you gain it?¡± he asked. She sighed. ¡°It was only a couple of weeks after we arrived that I realized my abilities were progressing without practice. It¡¯s slow, and I think it¡¯s unique to Psychics, but after a little while I couldn¡¯t deny it. Maybe the fact that my passive ability is always on does it, but that¡¯s not really the point.¡± ¡°What is the point?¡± he asked, and she gave him a look. ¡°When did you figure out that telepathy wasn¡¯t my real first ability?¡± she countered. ¡°When you tried to attack a Beta addict with your mind,¡± he answered, knowing that hiding the truth was pointless right now. She snorted a laugh. ¡°Well, a few months later, I reached something called ¡®Initiate 5¡¯ according to my KD. It came with the lovely gift of a new ability. Suddenly I could hear people¡¯s thoughts. All the time,¡± she finished, and Vincent tried not to react. Mist, mist, mist! he shouted inside his mind, and Lucia laughed out loud. ¡°You think the strangest things,¡± she said looking into his mismatched eyes. ¡°Some people don¡¯t even think words, did you know that? Images, instincts, feelings. It¡¯s worse reading them, I think.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t know what to say¡­and Lucia knew that he realized. She laughed again. ¡°You¡¯re getting it,¡± she said. ¡°Every day I get a better understanding of why the whole world hates Psychics. Privacy doesn¡¯t exist around us, and that¡¯s the least of it.¡± She got up, gesturing around them. ¡°These rooms have some kind of shielding, probably K-tech. It doesn¡¯t block it out completely though, I can still hear the whispers all around me.¡± Vincent still didn¡¯t speak, trying to imagine what it would be like. He couldn¡¯t. ¡°So you want to know why I didn¡¯t argue, little brother?¡± she asked, turning to face him. ¡°Because if I don¡¯t go to the Cult and let them train me, I¡¯ll probably be insane within the year. I already can¡¯t sleep more than an hour at a time.¡± She cocked her head to one side, ¡°I think you can die from that,¡± she said in a disturbingly academic tone. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get you the help you need,¡± Vincent said at last. ¡°Even if it isn¡¯t the help you want.¡± ¡°And maybe you¡¯ll get your magic weapon,¡± she said back to him in a derisive tone. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll get to live out the miserable little destiny mom carved into you.¡± Vincent recoiled. He hated arguing with Lucia about their mother, but something about what she said¡­ You have to help them, his mother¡¯s voice whispered from his memories. ¡°You¡¯re exhausted,¡± he said, his tone angry. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying.¡± Lucia laughed, and it was almost a cackle, but when she looked back at him, her entire countenance changed. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said in a completely different tone. ¡°Forget what I said. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m tired.¡± Vincent¡¯s mind warred with itself. He wanted to know what she meant. He needed to know, and yet he was terrified. Some part of him¨Cwith surprising strength¨Cwouldn¡¯t let him ask the question. Lucia seemed to see his pain, and empathy entered her expression for the first time in months. ¡°Never mind, okay? I¡¯ll go to the Psychics. The sooner the better. You¡¯ll be here, and Arthur and Robert will take care of you. And I¡¯ll¡­¡± she trailed off, taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Vincent managed a nod before turning and wordlessly exiting her room. He was back in the central chamber in moments. Danny was there, talking to Arthur and he opened his mouth¨Ca joke clearly on his lips¨Cbut he closed it again when he saw Vincent¡¯s face. Gathering his long black coat and throwing it around himself with a flourish, Vincent looked around until he spotted Robert near the kitchen. The large man was eating, but had paused at seeing Vincent¡¯s entrance. Turning to Arthur, Vincent spoke. ¡°What¡¯s the nearest gang¨Ca small one?¡± he asked. Arthur paused, surprised by the sudden question. Still, he was a professional. ¡°It¡¯s the Erasers. Led by a Villain named Polvane. Unusual power set; I can send you the details.¡± Vincent nodded, and a moment later information streamed into the ocular KD installed his left eye. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, and began walking toward the exit. ¡°Come on Robert. I have a sudden urge for violence.¡± The giant rose, grabbed his massive suit jacket and followed, a rare grin on his face. Chapter 27: Forgotten Power Every day my cage would rise up into the arena, and I¡¯d face another one of those pitiless monsters. I used every dirty trick humanity had, and they died, one after another. Robert had proven to have hidden depths far beyond the reputation he¡¯d cultivated, though Vincent had to admit, the part about violence was still very true. Bob was currently throwing cars around with far more passion and dedication than the relatively banal task deserved. He¡¯d only been asked to ¡®clear a path¡¯, but two dozen airborne vehicles later, Bob¡¯s selective interpretation of that request had become clear. Vincent didn¡¯t mind. He was still angry, and watching the wanton destruction was satisfying in a way that he didn¡¯t usually experience¨Cor allow himself to experience. But Lucia¡¯s words had torn through him like an attack¨Cpowerfully enough that in his darker moments he almost let himself believe it had been a Psychic ability. But truthfully, he trusted his sister. He loved her, and didn¡¯t doubt her love for him. For a long time, they¡¯d been each other¡¯s only family, and that wasn¡¯t a bond that broke easily. The more disturbing truth, however, was that he suspected his sister knew something that he didn¡¯t. Something about him and his mother, and it pained him. The tunnel into the abandoned subway couldn¡¯t be cleared quickly enough, as he was anxious to unleash his powers. The display with the Embers had been largely to strike fear and respect into the group, but that was only worth doing as Embereyes really did have a significant following. Polvane and the Erasers couldn¡¯t make that claim. They were a small, insignificant group, one of many that had taken to the subway tunnels. They were scavengers for the most part, weak and violent, but not so lowly as those gangs that made the sewers their home. Still, they weren¡¯t worth negotiating with. This would be the third such group that Vincent and Robert had ¡®cleaned out¡¯, as part of one arrangement or another with the various larger gangs that had claimed the streets. The Berserker had no compunction about killing them, having his own complex feelings about the NTC gangs from his youth. Vincent, however, still wasn¡¯t ready to let killing become normal for him. Violence was a different story. As Robert pushed a city bus aside, the final barrier blocking their entry, Vincent gave into the small furnace of rage that burned within him. He marched forward into the tunnel, which glowed green as his spectral form blossomed around him. There was still a walk before they were technically in Eraser territory, but movement in the darkness indicated they weren¡¯t alone. A ghostly hand speared forward, and a guttural scream echoed through the dark tunnel. Vincent didn¡¯t slow as he walked down the rotting remains of the subway track, barely sparing a glance for the huddled form, gripping a leg that dangled limply. Vincent had no pity for the man, as the Erasers stole, destroyed, and killed indiscriminately. They were far from unique in NTC, but they had the misfortune of being close to the territory that the crew had claimed in Veridicus¡¯ name. That territory needed to grow, as did the respect the villains showed the mysterious leader of the revolution, and so Vincent went to work. Bob charged forward as voices echoed down the tunnel, and the ocular KD Emi implanted automatically scanned him and presented what information it could. Class: Berserker (Super-strength Variant) Rank: Initiate (A) The writing superimposed itself over Vincent¡¯s vision, and was no longer intrusive after the months of using it. Emi had said she hoped to find more advanced software inside K-Tower that would display a great deal more information, but Vincent found even these small morsels fascinating. There was so much about supers that the Farm hadn¡¯t taught them. His entire crew were still Initiates, which was a stage any Adept who Manifested would enter. Those who didn¡¯t were Basics, not possessing any ¡®powers¡¯ exactly, but still had vastly superior bodies compared to humans. It was mostly these castoffs that Vincent encountered now, as another spectral hand slapped away a charging figure, draped in rags and wielding a crowbar. Class: Basic Rank: NA His KD announced the information as the figure went flying backward to slam into the concrete wall. The Basics weren¡¯t much of a threat alone, at least to Vincent and Robert, who had offensive power sets. The rest of the crew would have to get more creative, however, as some of these scavengers managed to find enough Gamma to remain many times stronger than a human. The Ranking system wasn¡¯t new to Vincent, of course, as Adept was considered the first level in the scale, but the existence of a sub-category explained a lot. Robert¡¯s ¡®A¡¯ for instance, was a static value that wouldn¡¯t change as his power advanced, and it represented his overall compatibility with his class. A sudden, powerful blast of wind sent Vincent flying into the opposite wall from which he¡¯d just thrown his own victim, and he looked up to see something unexpected. Class: Elementalist (Air Variant) Rank: Initiate (D) Vincent groaned as he regained his feet. His spectral armor, as he thought of it, wasn¡¯t a true ability, more of a trick he¡¯d learned after realizing his spectral hands were resistant to certain attacks. As such, he was still quite vulnerable to many attacks, and he was sure he¡¯d find his shoulder and back heavily bruised after this encounter. The Elementalist appeared to be a woman, though it was difficult to see in the dark tunnel. Long dark hair flew out in every direction as air currents swirled around her, and she was wearing a ragged coat to match the tattered clothing underneath. She was clearly readying another attack, and Vincent had to react quickly. Before he was even standing straight again, Phantasmal hands flew toward her. She responded with another burst of air, which passed right through the ghostly green appendages. Vincent, though, had to grip the old metal train rails to keep from hurtling back into the wall. Still, even as his body blew around like a flag in a hurricane, his spectral hands managed to grip the woman. One clamped around her torso, pinning her hands, while another fastened onto her skull, the fingers digging in greedily. This was something grizzly that Vincent didn¡¯t enjoy, but felt was ultimately necessary. A number of classes, like Elementalists, used their powers the same way that they used any other part of themselves, by sending signals from their minds into their bodies. Like any other signal, it used the brainstem and nervous system. Delicate systems which could be disrupted. The woman screamed, and it echoed loudly and hauntingly all around them, but the wind died. She went limp after a moment, and Vincent dropped her to the rocky floor of the tunnel. He didn¡¯t have time to check on her, as Robert was already too far ahead to be safe, so he made a note to exit the same way and find out if he¡¯d been successful. He¡¯d killed three supers this way, but one had successfully lost access to their powers¨Cpermanently, if Vincent was lucky. As he continued to move forward, Bob¡¯s roars drawing him toward the Eraser¡¯s main camp, Vincent considered that he¡¯d seen very few supers in NTC beyond Initiate, and attributed it to their reliance on Gamma. It appeared to be confirming the theory that taking it prevented your body from absorbing Alpha particles from the air. Otherwise, with the storms raging endlessly above the city, everyone would be Reactive level at least, the rank that came after Initiate. Still, he was impressed that there was even a single Manifested super here beyond Polvane, the Erasers¡¯ leader. Even if she was only a D Initiate, she represented a level of power that most gangs would fear. Once more Vincent wondered what his own rating was, still irritated that he and Danny¡¯s ¡®restricted¡¯ classes meant the KDs didn¡¯t display anything for them. He smiled though, knowing that it was the reason he¡¯d been able to surprise so many when he finally summoned his abilities. As he walked farther down the tunnel, stretching the aching muscles in his injured shoulder, he wondered at the rating, and the reason for their relative secrecy. It was likely that the deceptively simple scale was at the root of the Gamma conspiracy. Everyone was told that the injections were the only way to gain power, despite Robert being a walking testament to the drug¡¯s wildly skewed effects. If all Adepts had some sort of natural aptitude toward a specific class, but Gamma pushed them relentlessly toward the most common, strength-based Manifestations, then ¡®stay balanced¡¯, was more meaningful than anyone knew. Vincent disabled another two Basics, one with a spectral attack, another using the hand-to-hand combat training he¡¯d received at the Farm, and more recently with Arthur. He was surprised by how easy the latter was. His physical abilities were truly progressing at a rate he¡¯d never experienced before, in part from his Manifestation, but also from the constant Alpha bath the Radstorms provided. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. By habit, he brought up his personal interface. Name: Vincent Villari Class: Specter [Restricted] Rank: Initiate 3 [87%] Primary Attribute: Intellect Unlocked Abilities: Phantasm (Rank 5) Physicality: Mind: Vincent had grown used to staring at that screen over the many months he¡¯d waited for his abilities to recover. The tag ¡®Recently Manifested¡¯ had become a source of constant irritation, and he¡¯d grown a bit obsessive about his own advancement since it finally went away. Hearing that Lucia had earned a second ability at hitting Initiate 5 gave him even more motivation. As his thoughts turned to his sister once again, he felt the anger and confusion building within him once more, and he increased his pace. Soon he was charging down the tunnel, as if he were Berserker Bob, and the half-mad, half-starved Erasers fell before him like wheat to a scythe. Finally the darkness gave way to light, as he reached the pathetic collection of mattresses and blankets that served as the gang¡¯s camp. It was on an old subway platform, and Vincent was distracted by ancient advertisements for products that were neither NGG or K-Tech based. He paused to look at a worn poster for some kind of breakfast cereal, and nearly died for it. The dim light of several torches reflected off of a shard of metal as it flashed by his face. Vincent dropped to one knee, and hastily hardened a layer of spectral energy around himself. ¡°All this,¡± a deep voice echoed from further down the platform, ¡°all this destruction and mayhem from some kid on his way to prom?¡± Vincent looked around, trying to find the source of the attack. Spotting no one, he began creeping between the various tents, shopping carts, and hanging blankets that littered the platform. The flickering light illuminated another projectile, and this time he managed to deflect it with a Phantasmal hand. He noted, however, that the metal had somehow damaged the appendage, and for a few moments it was hard to control. If felt¡­numb, somehow. ¡°I know who you are, kid, and you don¡¯t need to die for some nutcase conspiracy theorist,¡± the voice called. Vincent smiled: word was getting around. He followed the voice, and the projectile, though kept a wary eye in case he was being baited. ¡°I¡¯m real, kid. I have real power, not just stories and nonsense to make the sheep donate to some cause,¡± the voice said again. ¡°You should join us! The Erasers have Gamma to spare.¡± Utterly untrue, but Vincent respected the attempt. He had expected Polvane to be another Gamma-starved lunatic, but the crude attempt at diplomacy was novel. Roars echoed toward them from the tunnel, and Vincent looked away, wondering how far Bob could be. A glistening metallic spear slashed at him, and Vincent fell backward desperately. He examined his attacker as best as he was able while scrambling away from the relentless attacks. The man wasn¡¯t particularly large, though he was taller than Vincent, and his face was lost in the shadows of a cowl . His clothing was white, and tight-fitting, with trails of cloth tied to it in numerous places. As he flowed gracefully from one attack to another, the spear alternately spinning and thrusting, the white scraps of cloth trailed behind him, creating quite the spectacle. Polvane was evidently more than just the sum of his powers, as some kind of martial training was evident. The KD finally blinked out a reading, taking longer than normal. Class: Metalmorph/Acrobat (Hybrid, Metal Manipulation/Super-Agility Variant) Rank: Reactive (Special) That confirmed the rumors, Vincent thought, while bringing up two spectral hands to deflect the twirling spear. Hybrids were not only rare, but extremely hard to empower, as it took more than twice the Gamma to increase their abilities. Polvane was obviously not big on sharing. It was also quite concerning, as Vincent was a full rank lower than his opponent in two classes. Embereyes had been a Reactive as well, but fire wasn¡¯t a considerable threat to a Specter. On the other hand, Vincent considered, being impaled dozens of times could be considered one of my weaknesses. He was already being forced back, barely keeping ahead of the relentless attacks, while struggling to move around the countless obstacles on the platform. Worse, having already witnessed a Metalmorph when Ironfist visited the Farm, Vincent was uncomfortably aware that Polvane was toying with him. Each time the spear slashed through or rebounded off of the Phantasmal hands, Vincent curiously noted a small flash of green, as if Gamma were being released into the air. He wasn¡¯t certain if it was some byproduct of his spectral hands being damaged, or something he could only see because of unusual lighting they were fighting in. Regardless, his own curiosity cost him again, as he failed to intercept a spear slash that cut neatly through his suit, and left a burning gash across his right side. Vincent cried out, and clenched his teeth against the pain. Polvane laughed, evidently enjoying himself. Knowing this wasn¡¯t the time to hold back, Vincent summoned two more Phantasmal arms. It was a huge drain on his stamina, but he had no hope of counterattacking without them. Polvane made a single curious sound when the second pair of hands appeared, then immediately resumed his flowing attacks. Thus far Vincent hadn¡¯t been able to risk using his abilities to attack, so relentless were the spear strikes, but now he did at every opportunity. He kept the hands small, with their fingers held together, as if he were wielding two green spears of his own, and after each block he sent one or both striking forward like twin vipers. In response, Polvane unleashed his true speed. He dodged between the attacks with effortless grace, spinning, and dancing as his spear continued to dart forward. More and more of the small bursts of Gamma flashed out, and Vincent was sweating as he struggled to match the man¡¯s remarkable pace. He knew he was outclassed, and at this point was simply hoping that Robert would be here soon enough to make the difference. Still, Vincent tried everything he could. He attempted to keep one of his attacking arms incorporeal until the last moment so it couldn¡¯t be turned aside, but the concentration that required meant he took another spear slash to the left side. Polvane managed the counter even while jumping over the incorporeal hand, and he increased his pace even further in reaction to the new tactic. Vincent was now being pressed back at such a pace that he was nearing the far wall of the platform, and in his increasingly panic-ridden state he was sure he could feel each burst of Gamma resonate with his beating heart. Polvane wasn¡¯t even winded, evidenced by his now continuous laughter, and Vincent felt his rage grow. With a desperate gamble, he slashed out with all four of his Phantasmal arms at once, and managed to catch his opponent somewhat by surprise. While three of the arms were knocked aside, one grazed Polvane¡¯s shoulder, and the man let out a scream of rage, backing away. Vincent allowed the arms to withdraw inside him, grateful for the brief reprieve. Polvane looked down at his shoulder, and Vincent wondered¨Cnot for the first time¨Chow it must feel to have the molecules that made up your body shredded from the inside. Evidently, it was painful enough to drive the man into a rage, as he finally stopped toying with Vincent. He moved forward once more, and at last the other side of his abilities revealed themselves, as the spear began to grow and twist like a tentacle made of steel. Vincent summoned his abilities once more, but his rational mind knew they wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop a spear that could attack from any angle. Once again he glanced at the tunnel, hoping to see the familiar form of Robert charging toward him. Again, he paid for the split second distraction, as he felt the spear lance through his stomach. He¡¯d been holding his arms in front of him like a series of shields, thankfully deflecting the attack enough that it didn¡¯t sever his spine. As the spear retreated however, he saw that the damage was considerable as a spurt of blood burst through his torn suit. He collapsed to his knees from shock, and the spectral hands dissipated. ¡°You hurt me, you insolent little shit!¡± Polvane accused as he walked slowly forward. Vincent¡¯s left hand clamped over the wound, but combined with the slash on his side and leg, blood loss was starting to become a problem. He was already light-headed, and his thoughts were growing less focused. ¡°You dare to invade the Erasers¡¯ home!?¡± Polvane shouted. ¡°I will string your body up as a warning to any other fools who might make the same mistake!¡± Vincent barely heard the grim promise, as his eyes wandered aimlessly over his surroundings. The torchlight is pretty, he thought. It wasn¡¯t something you had a reason to encounter on the farm, and he found it strangely cozy, despite the circumstances. His eyes continued to drift, and he felt himself wobble. His gaze went to something reflecting the lovely flickering lights on the floor of the platform. At first he couldn¡¯t make it out, and Polvane¡¯s continued ramblings were a distraction. Ignoring the man, Vincent forced his eyes to focus, and realized it was the relic Danny had given him. The inner pocket of his suit must have been torn by the attack. He absently raised his other hand to feel at his chest, missing the familiar lump of the relic pressed against him. Doing so, Vincent realized the thumping he¡¯d felt throughout the fight was absent. Did my heart already stop? he wondered in a detached way. He was distantly aware that Polvane was walking toward him, spear raised for a killing blow. Oddly, his only thought was that he wished he still had his present. He had so few possessions at the Farm, and something truly his was a novel experience. That it was a gift from his closest friend made it even more precious. Ignoring the talking blur, he reached for the relic, but found that it was too far. His body wouldn¡¯t listen to him either, and he couldn¡¯t bring it to lean forward. He felt so heavy. Irritated, he summoned his spectral hand, which easily made up the distance. Vincent smiled as the small green fingers closed over the hexagonal object. Then the world exploded around him. Chapter 28: Power Shaper Then there was the Emperor. Then there was certain death. Danny had lost track of the number of hours he¡¯d spent staring at his friend, waiting for him to wake up. Vincent was covered in so many bandages that he was only vaguely person-shaped, but even through all those layers blood had managed to soak through. Please, Danny thought, please open those weird, mis-matched eyes of yours and tell me to stop wasting time. Or to focus, or stay balanced, anything¡­ It took considerable physical effort to force himself to look away. Danny took in the appearance of Vincent¡¯s room instead. It was neat, and clean, and except for the bed and the notebooks, it looked like no one even lived here. ¡°You finally had a room you could decorate anyway you wanted, and somehow it¡¯s blander than the dorms,¡± he said. A sound drew his attention as the door opened, and Arthur walked in. ¡°It¡¯s nearly time, Danny,¡± he said softly. ¡°There has to be some way to postpone,¡± he replied, gesturing at Vincent¡¯s broken form. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wish there were. This isn¡¯t something I wanted to rush, and I understand your concern for Vincent, but¡­¡± Arthur sighed. ¡°This is our only chance, Danny. We both know what he¡¯d say if he could. We all know how important this is.¡± Nodding, Danny slowly stood up, then looked back at his friend. ¡°I¡¯m going to do this for you, Vince. I don¡¯t care how hard it is, or how crazy things get. I¡¯m going to come home with a big stupid mystery gun, just for you.¡± He rested his hand on top of the bandaged mass that was Vincent¡¯s arm. ¡°Be awake for that, okay?¡± He turned and swept out of the room, Arthur following. ¡°I assure you Danny, the Mender that we brought him to knows her work well. She believes Vincent will recover, and so do I.¡± Danny nodded, but his mind was already somewhere else. When they arrived in the central room, he saw the whole crew was there. Even Lucia had stayed out of her room for the two days since Vince had gotten injured, though she still looked like crap. Danny wasn¡¯t looking for her though, and his eyes narrowed as he saw Berserker Bob sitting on one of the couches, staring into space. Without wasting the time thinking about it, Danny rushed forward, and grabbed the enormous man by the front of his ridiculous, fancy shirt. Mimicking Bob¡¯s own strength, Danny hurled the giant into the concrete wall, then raced after him. Danny slammed his forearm into Bob¡¯s throat, forcing his head back against the wall. ¡°Danny, what the hell are you doing?¡± Emi called, and he could hear footsteps rushing across the room. ¡°You¡¯re responsible for this, you know that right?¡± Danny growled at the Berserker. Bob didn¡¯t speak. He didn¡¯t even raise his mammoth arms to defend himself. He just nodded. Arms were pulling at Danny, and he could hear Lucia speaking in low tones, trying to calm him. He ignored them. Even a fraction of Bob¡¯s strength made them less than children compared to him, and even a fraction of Bob¡¯s rage gave Danny a singular purpose like nothing he¡¯d ever felt before. ¡°Vincent isn¡¯t like us. He¡¯s special,¡± he said, putting more force against the larger man. ¡°Your only job is to keep him safe. You failed,¡± he spat. Bob nodded again. Danny could feel himself shaking, and his body was growing as hot as a furnace. ¡°I have to leave, because that¡¯s what Vincent wanted,¡± Danny said through clenched teeth. ¡°While I¡¯m gone, you¡¯re going to do your job better,¡± he said, as red clouded his vision. ¡°Or when I come back, I¡¯ll show you what real anger looks like.¡± He stepped back, releasing Bob¡¯s powers at the same time he released the man himself. Turning, he strode back toward Arthur. Emi was trying to help Bob to his feet, but strangely the Berserker just sat where he¡¯d been thrown, still not speaking. Arthur was waiting where Danny had left him, looking at if nothing had happened at all. He handed over a tablet when Danny reached him. ¡°That¡¯s everything you need to know, and everything you need to do. I know you haven¡¯t had as much time to focus on it as we¡¯d have liked, but the trip to the safehouse will take some time.¡± Danny nodded, taking the tablet and marching toward the exit. This wasn¡¯t how he¡¯d planned to leave, but his emotions were all over the place. He turned and looked back, seeing Emi and Lucia watching him go, appearing just as conflicted as he was. ¡°Goodbye,¡± was all he could manage, and then he turned and left his friends behind. *** Samuel Parker looked down at the tablet in his lap, reading it for the hundredth time. If he was being honest with himself, he¡¯d agreed to ride in the Helicopter with the troops specifically because he wanted to go over the file again. Sam worked very hard to be honest with himself, given that so many of his friends had been lost to self-delusion. Sam looked up from the tablet, unsurprised to find that the seven other men in the chopper were staring at him. They were Elites, and their black tactical gear and face-obscuring helmets made them seem barely human. Sam wasn¡¯t intimidated, however. He was one of the few people alive who remembered what non-humans looked like, and nothing would ever compare. Sam turned and looked out the window, enjoying the view of the golden fields beneath them. He didn¡¯t come to former Canada often, but when he did, he always hoped to see the open prairies. Something about the endless, flat landscape stretching from horizon to horizon, felt like freedom in a way that cities couldn¡¯t. He¡¯d been raised on a farm, lifetimes ago, and even though that was never the life he wanted, the years had painted his childhood with a fond color. He looked back down at the tablet, wondering if the picture of the boy was what was making him drift off into nostalgia. Sam had never had children. He¡¯d never had time for it, and the right woman had always been with the wrong man. Now there was this boy, Daniel Summers, and Sam had to work not to get his hopes up. The kid had been through hell, and there were no guarantees here. Daniel might not be here. Nightshade might have cut him loose, or simply killed him. The boy could also be so badly tortured and scared that he would be no use to anyone. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Or, the recruiter got it wrong, and the boy wasn¡¯t really a Power Shaper. Sam shook his head to clear it. He was letting himself get lost in possibilities and what-ifs. To his mind, it didn¡¯t seem so long ago that Ellie would have been the one to help him stay focused. Enzo would have done the same, but not with soft words. He¡¯d just look at Sam with those judging eyes, and shake his head. But Sam was alone now, as he had been for decades. Surrounded by people who feared him, worshiped him, or both. One of the Elites next to him leaned closer to speak. ¡°Legacy, sir!¡± he began, as they always did. ¡°We are approaching the target, sir!¡± Sam nodded, then reached for his own helmet. He paused, considering the boy he was hoping to meet, and decided to leave the helmet behind. Instead, he hit the small alarm that signaled he was going to open the door mid-flight, and dragged on the door a moment later. The air rushed in and out rapidly, and the Elites gripped the various handholds as Sam surveyed the ground below. The wind didn¡¯t bother his eyes, and he spotted the large, abandoned warehouse easily. It was in the center of an overgrown field, and the road leading up to it was effectively gone. Not bothering to wait, Sam dove out of the chopper, enjoying the strange feeling of freefall. The ground approached rapidly, and he Shaped a bubble to catch himself when he was barely a dozen feet from impact. There was no telling what security Nightshade had left, and he needed to move quickly. The green bubble shot through the air like a bullet, though he felt none of gravity¡¯s effects while inside. Sam crossed his arms behind him as the warehouse grew larger in front of him, and extended his senses as far as they could reach. The warehouse was large and uniformly gray, likely intended to hold massive farming equipment, and Sam stopped right in front of an enormous set of steel doors. In his mind he could feel his senses bounce off someone inside, though he couldn¡¯t tell much about the person¨Che always thought of this ability more like using radar than any kind of true sight. Without hesitation he sent a single spear of power right through the doors, and directly toward the person inside. The green line of light was as narrow as his pinky finger, and it carved through every object inside until it struck the person huddling deep in the building. The power then obediently wrapped around the target, protecting them until he could arrive in person, He heard the sound of the helicopter overhead, and the Elites jumping out, but he ignored it. ¡°Form a perimeter,¡± he broadcast through his KD, ¡°I¡¯m going in alone.¡± Sam didn¡¯t bother to listen to the replies, instead turning his focus to the warehouse, and what he might find within. Reaching upward, a thin line of energy formed between the two doors, then in a blink expanded outward. The line grew into a massive rectangle, shattering locks and ripping one of the doors completely off its hinges, before the energy faded. Sam walked inside, keeping himself focused on the person farther in. An explosion tore through the warehouse the moment he put his foot through the door, and Sam groaned in irritation. Fire and smoke would make this tedious. Though his eyes could perceive nothing but a wall of blackness, he reached forward, his power pooling against the far wall. When he felt it touch every corner, covering the wall completely, he pulled it back toward him. It was a difficult maneuver, keeping the power light enough not to pull on the countless solid objects in the warehouse, while still catching the smoke and flames. He¡¯d practiced it endlessly, however, after what happened to Ellie. In moments, he felt his own power wash over him, as it pushed the heat and acrid air outside. All at once he could see again, and he continued forward into the warehouse. He¡¯d been right about the farm equipment, as the building was filled with the slowly rusting bones of countless tractors and other machinery. Still, there were smaller doors ahead that proved the building held more secrets. Traps went off almost constantly as he moved forward. A thresher fell from where it was suspended by chains from the ceiling. Needle-like metal spikes blasted out of the floor. Sam caught three more explosives with his power before they went off, and missed two more that had him clearing away smoke again. Finally he pushed through the small door, moving into the area of the warehouse that Nightshade had obviously been using as a hideout. It was dark, with the windows blacked out with paint, and Sam released an orb of brightly glowing green power to see where he was going. There were old computers, couches, chairs, and discarded food everywhere. He paused at a pile of empty Gamma injectors, shaking his head sadly. Thankfully there were no more traps¨Cyet¨Cand Sam was able to look around without being accosted. At last he reached another door, one that looked like it led to some kind of cold storage, though his senses told him otherwise. He needlessly double checked to ensure the person inside was still contained by his power. He didn¡¯t think it was likely that it was Nightshade, but she had fooled others before. At last he pulled on the door, and finding it locked, tore it off its hinges with his bare hands, before tossing it aside. The room was small, barely larger than a closet, and completely dark. Once more he let a small glowing orb push aside the shadows, and he tried to take in everything at once. There were various food items piled against one far corner, and the smell coming from a bucket near the door told him that it was being put to use. The rest of the room was almost bare, save for the chains bolted into the wall, and the dark green sphere holding the only person Sam had sensed. He walked in, taking another look for traps, and maybe even Nightshade herself, but he saw nothing. There was no room to hide in here. Finally Sam approached the sphere, and rather than dropping it completely, expanded it so it encompassed him as well. Another hard lesson he¡¯d learned was never to assume things were safe. Once inside, he immediately recognized the boy as Daniel Summers, though he was shirtless, bruised, and emaciated. The kid looked terrified, and he pulled wildly at the chains that wrapped around his wrists and ankles, which disappeared through the sphere. ¡°Easy son,¡± he said in the most comforting voice he had. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± he asked gently, and the boy stopped thrashing. His hair was brown, filthy, and getting a little long. His frame appeared to be a bit lank, even putting aside the malnutrition, though Sam expected he¡¯d be tall when he was able to stand again. Terrified, brown eyes stared up at him, on a face that appeared too young to even grow facial hair. Still the boy didn¡¯t seem crazed, just frightened. When he didn¡¯t reply, Sam spoke again. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, son. I¡¯m Legacy, and the NGG is here to take care of you.¡± The boy still didn¡¯t react, his eyes just darting back and forth. With a thought, four small blades of energy sliced through the manacles holding the boy, and the chains fell through the sphere to clang onto the ground. Daniel Summers looked down at his wrists in wonder, and Sam smiled. ¡°I bet you could use some sunshine,¡± he said, and the sphere effortlessly pushed through the ceiling of the warehouse, letting the promised rays shine onto the boy from the midday sun. Daniel slowly stood up, and Sam made the Sphere as transparent as he could while moving it into the nearby field. At last he dismissed it entirely, and the two of them fell an inch or so onto flattened wheat and dark, rich soil. Daniel took a few shaky steps away from Sam, reaching out to touch the plants in shock. Finally he turned around, and looked at his savior. ¡°You¡¯re¡­You¡¯re real?¡± he asked in a shaky voice. Sam smiled. Nightshade had done a number on this poor kid. ¡°Yes, Mr. Summers, I¡¯m real. Do you prefer Daniel or Danny?¡± he asked. The kid gave him an odd look, then turned his eyes down at his own hands, which briefly glowed a very familiar shade of green. Sam let out a sigh of utter disbelief. The boy smiled, then looked back up at Legacy. ¡°Daniel is fine,¡± he said. Chapter 29: Borrowed Power I¡¯m still not sure how I survived, exactly. I had a plan, but I don¡¯t remember much of my first encounter with the Emperor. Just pain, death, and then somehow¡­life again. Sam watched Daniel struggling to form a basic Power Shape between his hands as the helicopter vibrated beneath them. The rest of the unit had been ordered to stay and secure the safehouse, but the truth was that Sam thought the kid could use some time feeling safe without being surrounded by faceless Elites. Sam remembered a time when he still knew all their names, and considered many to be friends, but things had changed. Maybe he¡¯d changed. Now they were just soldiers in his eyes; they followed orders, they did their jobs, they had their uses. They were reliable, but they weren¡¯t trustworthy. Sam fiddled with his lighter as he watched the boy, a nervous habit he¡¯d had since he was younger than Daniel. Part of him hadn¡¯t really believed there could be another Power Shaper after all this time. Over the years he¡¯d wondered if it had been some kind of direct intervention from James that had given him the supposedly unique class. In his darker moments, he¡¯d wondered whether the NGG higher-ups were hiding the others. When he¡¯d learned this boy existed, Sam hadn¡¯t known how to react. He knew his own mind after so many years, and so many mandated therapy sessions, and he had to be wary of his need to fill the emotional gaps left by the team that had abandoned him. He knew he wanted this to be real, and when Daniel had manifested a small spark of the power¡­well, if Sam could still faint, he might have. ¡°You¡¯ll get it, Daniel, don¡¯t push yourself too hard,¡± he said, trying to encourage the boy. The brown-haired youth looked up at him as if surprised not to be alone, but smiled weakly before turning back to his experiments. Sam wanted to give the kid some space, but his own curiosity was too strong to deny. ¡°You seem pretty eager to practice,¡± he said leadingly, then waited. Daniel looked at him, and blushed. ¡°N-Nightshade¡­¡± he began, shaking a little. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t let me use my powers. She¡¯d¡­punish me, if I did,¡± he added, and Sam felt his anger rise. The boy continued, ¡°I had only just Manifested when she came to the school, so I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m doing. She was always watching, somehow, even when I was sure she wasn¡¯t there.¡± Sam reached out to put a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder, and he felt Daniel flinch slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what you¡¯ve been through,¡± he said. ¡°But that all changes now. You¡¯re with me, and nothing¡¯s going to happen to you.¡± He paused, trying to decide how much to tell the boy given how chaotic his experience had been. ¡°Daniel, I don¡¯t know how much they told you at school, but you¡¯re special,¡± the boy looked up at him curiously. ¡°Your power¨Cour power¨Cis extraordinarily rare. The recruiter you met had recommended you for Young Infinity,¡± he waited, watching Daniel¡¯s reaction. The boy¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What? Me? But¡­that¡¯s your team, Legacy! The best of the best! I haven¡¯t even started training yet.¡± Sam laughed softly. ¡°Training starts after Manifestation, Daniel. You won¡¯t find yourself too far behind any new recruit. That is, if you decide this is something you want. I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯ve been through, and I won¡¯t let you be forced into something you¨C¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± the boy shouted, then immediately slapped his hands over his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Legacy! I didn¡¯t mean that. I just meant, of course I want that!¡± Sam laughed out loud at the boy¡¯s awkwardness, and Daniel blushed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± the boy said, looking down at his hands. ¡°All I¡¯ve ever really wanted was to be a Hero, my whole life. But things kept getting in the way, and I started to believe it wasn¡¯t really possible.¡± He let out a long, ragged sigh. ¡°All those months ago, when things got really crazy, I was just happy to have powers, you know? At first it didn¡¯t even matter what they were, I was just glad I¡¯d have something. But everything was moving so fast, and suddenly I wasn¡¯t in control of my life anymore.¡± ¡°When Nightshade attacked,¡± Sam prompted, and the boy looked confused for a moment before nodding vigorously. ¡°Right, of course. I just mean, you know, even before that things were crazy. Manifesting changes everything.¡± Sam nodded his understanding, then looked out the window, watching the world fly by in a blur as he remembered his own awakening so long ao. ¡°Manifesting really does change everything,¡± he agreed, picturing James¡¯ stoic face from that remarkable night, so long ago. Finally he turned back to Daniel, ¡°So who was it?¡± he asked. ¡°Who guided you?¡± The boy looked at him, clearly not sure how to answer. Sam smiled reassuringly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Daniel, we both know how this works. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d have that power set¨Cthe powerset¨Cwithout help. So who was it?¡± ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t¡­¡± the boy nervously stumbled over his words, and Sam waved his arms in a placating gesture. ¡°I understand, Daniel, this was the biggest secret you¡¯ve ever kept, and you¡¯ve kept it for years. But you¡¯re safe now. If you really do want to join the team, you¡¯ll be with other people just like you. Those who know about the Gamma¨Cand all of them were initiated by someone who saw a spark of greatness in them.¡± Daniel stared for a moment, then at last he spoke. ¡°Gamma¡­doesn¡¯t give people powers like mine,¡± he said in a quiet voice. Sam tilted his head, waiting. ¡°So¡­I don¡¯t take Gamma, because I was told not to,¡± he said, and Sam narrowed his eyes. ¡°By whom, Daniel? I promise they¡¯re not going to be in trouble¨C¡± Sam cut himself off, feeling like a fool. ¡°Unless they¡¯re not around to be in trouble. Oh, kid I¡¯m sorry; I wasn¡¯t thinking. Did you lose your mentor in the attack?¡± The boy turned away suddenly, not answering. Sam mentally went down the list of the casualties, considering. ¡°Was it the Dean? I understand she was quite the Patriot, though I don¡¯t think any other candidates were brought forth from her school over the years.¡± Daniel looked back at him, appearing to struggle to answer. Sam smiled again, ¡°She must have seen something really special in you, Daniel, and she was right.¡± The boy nodded, then hung his head. Sam felt like even more of a fool. He didn¡¯t know what he was doing, pressuring the kid after months of terror and abuse. He was doing this all wrong, and if he wasn¡¯t careful this kid¡¯s fantastic spirit¨Cremarkably still intact after the experience¨Cwas going to be broken by Sam himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daniel, I shouldn¡¯t be pestering you with all these questions. They don¡¯t really matter anyway.¡± He smiled, hoping to lift the boy¡¯s spirits. ¡°The only question that really matters is this: would you like to join Young Infinity?¡± Daniel looked up, a broad smile appearing. *** Danny was on the verge of hyperventilating, and was grateful when Legacy finally stopped asking him very reasonable, and very dangerous questions. After hearing that Danny was indeed interested in joining the team, Danny¡¯s idol had at last turned away, and soon only the rhythmic sounds of the chopper¡¯s blades could be heard in the cabin. Danny had been more anxious than he expected, waiting for ¡®rescue¡¯ in his cage. The way he¡¯d left things didn¡¯t help, not knowing if his best friend was ever going to wake up. Then the NGG had arrived even earlier than expected, and Arthur had been forced to hide himself inside the warehouse while Legacy tore it apart. Even now, Danny couldn¡¯t be sure that Vincent¡¯s unusual acquaintance had survived. But the simple truth was that his own life was in as much or more peril, and Danny had to continually remind himself to stay focused. He was running scenarios through his mind, desperately trying to adapt the story they¡¯d prepared to this revelation about Gamma. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! It had been a huge gamble to admit he hadn¡¯t been taking any, but something about how Legacy had been looking at him convinced Danny it was the right move. He suspected that Power Shaper must be so obviously a restricted class that feigning ignorance would have been crazy. Now though, he had to pretend to have some kind of mentee relationship with the deceased Dean of a Power Farm he¡¯d never even been to. Arthur¡¯s notes meant he at least knew her name was Rebecca Fielding, but he hadn¡¯t had time to study much beyond that. He¡¯d have to lean into the idea that grief was making her hard to talk about. Surprisingly though, Danny wasn¡¯t particularly worried about Legacy being the one to grow suspicious. The man had been only too happy to feed him answers and give him the benefit of the doubt. Arthur had been right that the man was clearly hoping for another Power Shaper. Now Danny just needed to stay sharp, and stay close to the man. Looking out the window, it was clear that the helicopter was descending. Danny almost pressed his face against the glass in his excitement; he¡¯d never seen Infinity Tower in person, and this was something he didn¡¯t want to miss. He was surprised to see, however, that they weren¡¯t even in a city, let alone Washington DC. The helicopter was making a controlled descent toward a generic looking NGG base of some kind. It was in an area that looked fairly similar to the Farm in Vermont, being a large, sprawling encampment surrounded by trees. There were a few small, one or two story buildings, but for the most part it was just countless rows of green-tarped tents. There were endless military vehicles, and people busying themselves in every direction, but definitely no young heroes in training. Danny quickly looked over to see Legacy speaking softly on the other side of the helicopter. He turned when he noticed Danny staring. ¡°This is Bravo Forward, it¡¯s a temporary staging ground for an NGG operation. The doctors here are going to make sure you¡¯re okay, and there¡¯s a few people who will want to meet you as well. Don¡¯t worry, it shouldn¡¯t be too intense.¡± ¡°I thought we were going to Infinity Tower,¡± Danny said, nervous at this unexpected development. ¡°We¡¯ll get there, but¡­¡± he trailed off, then started fiddling with that lighter again as he seemed to be searching for words. ¡°This is hard to explain, but the New Global Government and the Infinity organization are semi-separate entities,¡± Danny¡¯s vacant stare made Legacy laugh. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try harder. You see, the Infinity organization is mine. I founded it with my team shortly after the Invasion. The NGG funds us, and does a lot of the work to help organize our missions and activities, but ultimately everyone who¡¯s part of Infinity reports to me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Danny said, nodding. This was actually good news. He¡¯d thought he¡¯d be trapped behind enemy lines, but if he was really outside the NGG, somehow the whole thing felt a lot less scary. ¡°So what does this mean for us visiting this base?¡± Legacy looked uncomfortable. ¡°This is where it gets tricky. We do still have connections we need to manage with the NGG. Mostly they stay out of our hair, but finding the first Power Shaper in a century? They¡¯re going to want to see you for themselves.¡± Danny didn¡¯t try to hide his discomfort. He had no idea what kind of tests the NGG had access to, and if they discovered he was a Mimic, this was all over before it began. Emi had put a lot of work into making a device that would spoof KD signals, so he¡¯d show up as a Power Shaper if they scanned his harness, but who knew what else they might subject him to? The helicopter landed softly while Danny was thinking and chewing his lip, and the doors opened automatically only a moment later. This is all happening too fast! he thought. As his mind struggled to form a plan without anywhere near enough information, he hastily followed Legacy out of the surprisingly quiet vehicle. Legacy looked back at him and smiled reassuringly, then strode forward at a brisk pace. They appeared to be in the middle of the camp, with tents on every side, and Elites lined up with their terrifying rifles shouldered in front of the landing pad. Legacy barely acknowledged them as he moved purposefully toward a large building not far off. Danny stayed as close as he could without basically getting a piggyback ride, and tried not to make eye contact with anyone as they went. Several times marching troops halted to let them pass, and everyone who saw Legacy gave a crisp salute, that he only occasionally nodded to in response. Danny was forming a risky plan as they went, and was trying to get into character when they seemed to stop abruptly. Looking up, he realized they were already in front of the two story, red bricked building that was their destination. The white, double doors opened as if on queue, and a number of people exited at once. Two were middle aged men wearing dark suits, and had matching stern expressions. It struck Danny that they were surprisingly non-descript. Despite one being of Asian descent, and the other European, they seemed like twins with graying hair, comparable height, and stiff posture. The final three appeared to be doctors, or scientists or something, Danny couldn¡¯t be sure. But the two women and one man were all wearing white lab coats, and had tablets in-hand they seemed to be referring to as they approached. ¡°Legacy,¡± one of the twins said. ¡°Mr. Campbell,¡± Legacy replied. ¡°Mr. Chen, doctors. Allow me to introduce Daniel Summers, the Power Shaper that was kidnapped by Nightshade.¡± The group all looked at Danny at once, and he shuffled behind Legacy, not having to fake his embarrassment. ¡°So it¡¯s really true?¡± Campbell asked. ¡°You actually found another Power Shaper. What a remarkable surprise.¡± Danny narrowed his eyes, noticing that the man had glanced meaningfully at his twin when he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Legacy said definitively. ¡°He¡¯s untrained, and I can attest that it¡¯s a particularly challenging discipline to master, but I think I know where we can find a good teacher.¡± He smiled at the small joke, but he was the only one. ¡°Indeed,¡± Chen said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to discuss, Legacy. Come inside, we¡¯ll let the doctors take a look at the boy.¡± The twins turned around, and Danny felt the situation slipping out of his control. Legacy turned to him, ¡°The doctors will take care of you Daniel. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be long, and they¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re in good health.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go!¡± Danny said, gripping the man¡¯s arm. Legacy looked down, confused. ¡°You¡¯re safe here, Daniel, I promise. The doctors are just going to run some tests while I speak to the base commanders. It¡¯ll be over before you know it.¡± Suddenly hands were pulling at Danny from behind, and when he looked back to find two of the doctors trying to lead him away, Legacy casually slipped out of his grasp, and began walking toward the building. This is it, Danny thought, time to get showy. ¡°No!¡± he screamed, flailing at the doctors wildly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± he shrieked, and instantly there were guards holding him as the doctors retreated. Danny hadn¡¯t even seen the black-clad men arrive; they were obviously supers, and they held him in iron grips as he struggled pointlessly against them. Legacy had turned around, a surprised look on his face, and the twins were glaring. ¡°Let me GO!¡± Danny roared, and he pushed every ounce of his borrowed power outward, not truly understanding what he was doing. A sphere of burning green light burst to life around him, and kept growing. The Elites were thrown backward, launched dozens of feet into the closest tents, which imploded from the impact. The doctors had retreated far enough not to be thrown back, but instead they were flattened to the ground as the sphere passed over them. Danny saw none of this, losing himself in the power. He¡¯d never experienced anything like it. He¡¯d expected to be too weak to do almost anything with Legacy¡¯s abilities, but this was strangely effortless. He could see nothing but the green glow as the sphere continued to expand, but at last he felt something. There was a hand on his shoulder, and he forced himself to look up at Legacy, standing next him, silhouetted by the overwhelming green glow. There was kindness and concern in his eyes, and somehow that was enough to bring the display of power to an abrupt end. The light faded, and Danny looked around in confusion, seeing the destruction and chaos that he¡¯d created. Elites began rushing forward immediately, but they slammed into a new ring of green energy that appeared, and Danny momentarily worried that he¡¯d done something without realizing it. Legacy made the truth clear, however, as his voice echoed through camp. ¡°Everyone take a breath, and lower your weapons. Obviously I¡¯m the only one qualified take care of Mr. Summers.¡± The situation seemed to be cooling as the Elites lowered their weapons, but then the twins strode forward. ¡°That boy just attacked NGG personnel,¡± Campbell said in a hollow tone. ¡°Guards, take him into custody immediately. If he resists, tranquilizers, if he uses powers, bullets.¡± Danny¡¯s eyes widened as over a dozen Elites charged forward, and he worried that he¡¯d taken things too far. Then Legacy spoke a single word. ¡°No,¡± he said, and the guards stopped¨Ceveryone stopped, and not by choice. Danny spun around in shock. As far as he could see, every person had a thin, green glow encompassing their bodies, and they were all completely immobilized. Legacy walked toward the twins, who were likewise halted. ¡°Daniel Summers is under my protection,¡± he said. Then his voice dropped lower as threat dripped from his tone like acid, ¡°Anyone who moves against him, is moving against me.¡± He turned slowly, letting his gaze take in the whole camp. ¡°No one will touch my Ward.¡± Chapter 30: Still Broken I woke up back on Earth. I was underground, I was alone, and I was broken. Still, I was alive, and I had my mission. Lucia had taken to resting in Vincent¡¯s room while he recovered. She was still barely sleeping, so using her brother¡¯s couch while he was in the bed wasn¡¯t much of an issue. It meant that she could stay near him while avoiding the endless mental white noise that waited for her outside the shielded chambers. It also allowed Lucia to have something that had been denied to her for a long time: company that didn¡¯t hurt. The comfort it brought was at constant odds with the guilt. She had felt like some kind of monster every day since she¡¯d Manifested as a Psychic, but never more than now, when a part of her felt like she was benefiting from her brother¡¯s injuries. Still, she¡¯s stayed with him. For the two weeks since Danny had left, she¡¯d been in this room, sitting next to Vincent, taking care of him as best she could. She changed his IVs, cleaned him as necessary, and spoke to him. Her brother had never been easy to speak to; he always seemed like he was having a half dozen other conversations in his head. When she¡¯d unlocked the ability to hear thoughts, she¡¯d been undeniably curious. Who wouldn¡¯t be? A window into the minds of others was already fascinating, but a chance to finally understand her mysterious and unusual brother was something altogether different. The reality had not just been a disappointment, but a painful one. Trying to listen to Vincent¡¯s thoughts was like trying to follow all the conversations in a crowded cafeteria at once. The thoughts overlapped, they bounced around, they contradicted, and they were impossibly fast. Her brother¡¯s mind was like a storm, and she lacked the skill to navigate it. As she sat next to him, sipping at a cup of tea, she considered that almost everything about reading minds had been different from expectations. Her passive ability had given a window into fragments of thoughts and impressions, and she¡¯d assumed that the full mechanism would provide new insights and clarity. Instead she¡¯d found that minds were more art than science. Everyone thought differently, and each person represented a unique set of challenges. Danny was wonderfully literal, and hearing his thoughts wasn¡¯t much different from the times where he wouldn¡¯t stop talking. That twisted when he Mimicked another form, however, as his thoughts would suddenly be interrupted by an injection of what he should be thinking, were he actually the person he was impersonating. That was always jarring for Lucia, as the thoughts seemed to suddenly be in a different voice. Stranger still, however, were the people that didn¡¯t think in words at all. She hadn¡¯t left their little sanctuary much since gaining the new power, but visiting the markets and shops that were considered safe had been a memorable experience. Some people thought in images, others thought more in impressions and instincts. Emi¡¯s mind was frequently just mathematics, which was easily one of the worst things to hear. While whispering and images were distracting and grated at Lucia over time, nothing compared to a person mumbling formulae in your ear for hours on end, and it was becoming hard not to hold it against the Tech. That was the real problem, Lucia knew. The real reason why she was ready to go into the viper¡¯s den that was the Cult of the Mind. Her sanity was truly at risk, but it had been the realization that she was growing to hate her closest friends¨Cthrough no fault of their own¨Cthat finally convinced her of what needed to happen. And now the day had come. She noticed the time on her KD display, and sighed. Arthur would no doubt be coming to summon her any moment, just as he¡¯d done with Danny. Lucia wondered again at Vincent¡¯s trust in the mysterious man. Was it truly her brother¡¯s idea to send away his entire support network, or had it been Arthur¡¯s? She knew that part of her distrust came from the fact that he¡¯d been associated with the Cult, who Lucia had spent a lifetime despising. But there was more. Why had he been so willing to listen to Vincent? From what they¡¯d explained, the man had been helping her brother for years, preparing for some master plan neither would disclose. And why couldn¡¯t she hear his thoughts? It was one of the first questions she planned to ask her teachers. Lucia¡¯s frame of reference was so narrow that it was possible numerous people were difficult, or even impossible to read. There may even be some common power set that did it, but she doubted it. Arthur was calm, and polite, and helpful, and possibly the most dangerous person she¡¯d ever met. She couldn¡¯t say why, but it was something she picked up from her passive skill, Psychic Intuition. Before she had the ability to read thoughts, her passive had given her tiny glimpses into people¡¯s minds. Now that she did have the ability, her ¡®intuition¡¯ had begun working in other ways. In her K-Device Profile, the passive¡¯s information was ludicrously nondescript: Gives insights into the human mind. Lucia was only beginning to understand that what it did was make up for the gaps in her other abilities. Before she could hear thoughts, it provided them. When someone thought in images, it occasionally translated them, and when she met someone like Arthur who seemed like a ghost, it told her to be afraid. Still, she wasn¡¯t ready to completely trust the abilities she hated to judge people fairly. Outwardly, Arthur had been nothing but kind, and helpful. Though Lucia still wouldn¡¯t have left her brother alone with him. Thankfully Vincent had Robert. She didn¡¯t know the whole story, but whatever the reason, she knew that Berserker Bob would fight the whole world to protect her brother. Doubly so since the incident with the Erasers. She looked down at her brother. Most of the bandages had been removed, as the superficial wounds had healed rapidly thanks to the constant Alpha exposure in the city. Vincent¡¯s chest and left arm were still a mess of scars, but he no longer seemed to be near-death, as he had been when Robert carried him in. ¡°I don¡¯t blame Robert,¡± she said to him. ¡°Danny might, but we both know it wasn¡¯t his fault. It was mine.¡± Lucia leaned back in her chair, her tea forgotten. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said what I did that night. I¡¯d like to believe I wouldn¡¯t have said it if I weren¡¯t falling apart, day by day.¡± She thought back to her words, ¡®the destiny mom carved into you¡¯. She¡¯d broken a promise to herself in that moment. She was never going to tell Vincent about her worries, about what she thought¨Cand feared¨Ctheir mother had done. She looked at him again, letting her power pull his muted thoughts into her mind. It was still the vague, empty clamoring of dreams. He wasn¡¯t conscious, so it didn¡¯t really count, did it? Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I think mom did something to you,¡± she whispered, and it was like letting out a breath she¡¯d been holding for thirteen years. ¡°You don¡¯t remember her, not the real her. You were too young to see that side of her. But she¡­did things to people. Things no one else could do.¡± Again she listened, making sure he couldn¡¯t hear her confession, before continuing. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she did for the cult. I was just a kid too. But I know what she did to dad. I know they¡¯d argue, and he¡¯d get upset, be mad at her for something. Then she¡¯d speak a few words and he¡¯d just¡­stop. He¡¯d deflate like a balloon, and leave the room, like it had never happened.¡± Once more Lucia felt herself getting pulled in by painful memories. She was seven years old again, in this very building, only a few floors up. Everything was on fire, the world was shaking, and she was holding her father¡¯s hand. He was pulling into the hallway, telling her they needed to run, and then her mother was there. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she did to him, Vincent. But I know it was bad. Even as a kid I knew it was wrong.¡± *** Her father pushed her behind him as NGG soldiers appeared, and then those soldiers had their minds torn apart as her mother arrived. Her mother walked toward Lucia and her father,furious. Where are you taking my daughter? The words had echoed down the hall, and in her mind as well, somehow louder than the explosions around them. ¡°Look around you, Ellie!¡± her father had shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s over! The Cult is dead! I¡¯m not going to lose our children to this!¡± ¡°This is nothing,¡± her mother had said with finality, and kept advancing. ¡°Lucia, come to your mother,¡± she said while reaching out a hand. But Lucia only retreated further behind her dad. She never wanted to be near her mother when she was like this. ¡°Ellie, stop!¡± her father shouted, and her mother did. Then her eyebrows went down, as an expression of rage took over. Her father didn¡¯t seem to care, ¡°Ellie, this is our children. I know how important the Cult is to you, but our kids come first!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the children,¡± her mother said. ¡°You¡¯re the one wasting time, so give me my daughter!¡± She gestured above them, ¡°Vincent¡¯s Guardian won¡¯t be able to stop Sam, you know that! I need to get to him!¡± ¡°Then go!¡± her father shouted back. ¡°I¡¯ll get Lucia out of here, and meet you at the safehouse!¡± he¡¯d taken something out of his pocket then, but Lucia hadn¡¯t recognized it as a child. Her mother must have though, because she got even angrier. STOP! her mother¡¯s voice had echoed in their minds, and her father froze in place. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing!¡± she shouted aloud. ¡°You¡¯re trying to take my children away, but I won¡¯t let you!¡± Her mother shut her eyes then, and the world seemed to get quiet, when she opened them again, Lucia could feel the power coming from her in waves. It¡¯s time, her mother¡¯s voice echoed again, though Lucia could tell it was only directed at her father. Leave the children and go. Do your duty. Lucia looked up at her father in confusion, and saw him put the object back in his pocket, then turn and start walking away down the hall. Lucia followed after him, grabbing at a hand that wouldn¡¯t close over hers. ¡°Let him go, honey, daddy has important work to do,¡± her mother called. ¡°Daddy, please!¡± Lucia shrieked, as her father walked back toward the burning rooms they¡¯d just left. She heard her mother running toward them, but suddenly another sound took over. There was cracking, and creaking, and without understanding what was happening, Lucia found herself falling through the collapsing floor, still clinging to her father. When they finally landed, she was covered in hot rubble, and her body ached everywhere. She couldn¡¯t see much through the smoke, but she could see her father. He stood up, debris falling off of him as he did so, and resumed walking. She called for him, but he didn¡¯t respond, just kept moving forward. The lower floors were completely ablaze, and the last thing she saw before losing consciousness was her dad disappearing into a raging inferno, as if it were a cool autumn day. *** ¡°She could control people, Vincent. I know that¡¯s not the rarest power for a Psychic, but she was on a different level. Even the propaganda only claims they can do it for a few minutes, and they can¡¯t make you hurt yourself, but mom...¡± She stopped talking, thinking about her other reason for joining the Cult. ¡°I¡¯m going to find answers, Vincent. I¡¯m going to learn the truth. When I¡¯m certain, I¡¯ll tell you, I promise. Even if it hurts.¡± Lucia closed her eyes, hating herself once more for having spoken to him in anger and exhaustion. ¡°I know what you¡¯re keeping inside, Vincenzo. I know you blame yourself for Eric and the other students dying during our escape. I know you think you need to change, so it doesn¡¯t happen again. That you need to be more powerful, and less caring¡­but please, don¡¯t let that happen.¡± She reached out and held his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t lose the part of yourself that wants to save everyone¡­no matter where that comes from.¡± Lucia stood up, and went to grab her bag, knowing it was nearly time. As she did so, a single stray thought drifted to her through her brother''s sleeping, but ever-racing mind. If you try to save everyone, you¡¯ll end up failing everyone. *** Lucia wasn¡¯t surprised to find Arthur waiting for her in the hallway. He was always where he needed to be. ¡°Lucia,¡± he said in greeting, then reached out and took her bag. ¡°I¡¯ll be driving you to the rendezvous site, it¡¯s just outside of town. Don¡¯t worry, Emi and Robert will be staying here with Vincent.¡± They began walking back toward the central chamber. ¡°Vincent will be able to contact me when he wakes up?¡± she asked. Arthur shook his head. ¡°Not directly, I¡¯m afraid. The Cult doesn¡¯t allow non-members direct communications. I¡¯ll have to forward along any messages he wants to give.¡± Lucia nodded, not surprised, but still irritated. She saw Robert and Emi sitting together in the kitchen area, looking somewhat comical with her being barely a hundred pounds and him towering over her, likely five times that or more. They both stood up when they saw she was leaving, and Emi came to give her a quick hug. The Tech was clearly still trying to figure out who she was outside of the Farm, and the hug was quick and awkward, though appreciated. ¡°Be safe over there,¡± she said, then handed Lucia a small, sealed case. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Lucia asked, inspecting the black container. ¡°Just a few things to make sure no one messes with you,¡± Emi said with a grin, and Lucia couldn¡¯t help but smile in return. Robert stepped up next, warily. ¡°Mackenzie threw me into a wall, are you gonna explode my brain?¡± he said in his deep, gruff voice. Lucia knew the gargantuan man enjoyed dark humor, however, and forced a smile in return. She reached out and took his enormous hand in hers. ¡°Protect them,¡± she said simply, and the giant took on an especially serious expression. ¡°With everything I have,¡± he promised. Lucia nodded, then moved toward the door. She glanced back in the direction of Vincent¡¯s room one last time before she left, then let her mind shift to the madness she was preparing to walk into. Time to run off and join a cult, she thought. Chapter 31: Mending Fences I was weak.The Emperor left me with a fragment of the power I had. But I worked my way back up. Draining the life from one Invader after another. It had been nearly six hours since the incident at the base, but Danny still felt like his heart was pounding in his chest. The truck vibrated beneath him, but he could barely feel it as he struggled to control his own shaking. Looking out the window only made him feel worse as the speedway made the landscape go by too quickly, and was anything but calming. Danny had known there would be risks going into this; he knew that it might even be impossible, but he hadn¡¯t expected the situation to escalate so quickly. He also hadn¡¯t truly understood how powerful Legacy was, and honestly it was a little frightening. His ability to Mimic powers could only duplicate a tenth of what the original Super could do, but Danny now realized that even that small fraction of Legacy¡¯s power could be terrifying. After the entire camp had frozen in place, the NGG¡¯s top Hero had made a lengthy speech about Danny being under his protection, and the responsibilities of people with power. By the end he was right up in the frozen faces of the suited twins, practically screaming about authority and strength. Finally he¡¯d grabbed Danny and marched toward the base¡¯s exit, where he commandeered a transport vehicle. Legacy didn¡¯t release the camp from his ability until they were driving away. And he called me his ¡®Ward¡¯, Danny thought, still struggling to believe everything that had happened. Truthfully he barely knew the term, and had to do a subtle look-up when they were safely driving away. It was an older term, and a real reminder that Legacy had been born in the 1930s, but it basically meant that Danny was under the man¡¯s protection. It kinda implied he¡¯d been adopted, but he doubted that was how Legacy had intended it. Danny tried to pull his mind back to the present, hoping the boredom of the long car trip would finally convince his body that no one needed this much adrenaline. He and Legacy were sitting next to each other in the back of the large, heavy transport truck, and the world¡¯s greatest Superhero had been making furious calls non-stop since they got in. A couple of Elites were in the front, and Danny wondered how they felt taking orders from someone who¡¯d basically told the NGG to go screw itself earlier that day. Looking back out the window, he saw that they appeared to be leaving the speedway. They¡¯d shifted to the magnetic track on the far right, and Danny knew that meant they would soon be slowed down before leaving the tracks and going back to normal driving. Noticing that Legacy was in one of the brief pauses between angry calls, Danny asked a nervous question. ¡°Are we almost at Infinity tower?¡± Legacy looked over at him, and sighed. ¡°Sorry, Daniel, we have another stop to make. I¡¯ve been back and forth with our liaison from NGG and the admin team. I¡¯ve made it explicitly clear that you¡¯ll be staying with me, but there¡¯s a lot of bruised egos after what I did.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Danny asked. ¡°They¡¯re making arguments about what¡¯s in your best interest, but I think we have them cornered. They¡¯re pushing for their own medical team to examine you, to make sure you¡¯re ¡®okay¡¯ after ordeals.¡± Danny¡¯s heart started beating rapidly again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be poked and prodded again,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve had more than enough of that.¡± Legacy smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daniel, I¡¯ve got this covered. I pushed them to agree that we need you examined, but I happen to be personal friends with the most accomplished and respected healer alive.¡± Danny¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t mean¡­I thought she¨C¡± he cut himself off, not wanting to mention the death of Mender, another original member of the Great Hero¡¯s team. Legacy must be referring to some new generation hero. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know what people think, but Allison just wanted out of the spotlight. You probably know her as Mender, but she hated that name, and the entire idea of being a superhero.¡± He leaned back and looked out the window. ¡°She knew we needed her back in the day, when there were still Invaders to clean up. She understood the world couldn¡¯t survive without us doing what we did, so she stuck around long enough to make sure we survived the war and its aftermath. After that though¡­¡± The sounds of the truck switching to regular drive interrupted him, and both he and Danny looked out at the landscape now moving past them at a less sickening pace. ¡°Well, Allison was always her own kind of hero. She was training to be a doctor before the Invasion, and that wasn¡¯t easy for a woman back in the thirties. But it was her calling, and she¡¯s an extremely determined person. The moment she believed we were safe, she started a world-tour of healing, helping everyone she could.¡± ¡°And you think she¡¯s willing to help me?¡± Danny asked, not sure how this changed things for him. ¡°She¡¯s been able to take longer breaks lately, now that the NGG has healing facilities and new technologies, so she has the time. Besides, she¡¯d never turn down someone who needed help.¡± His face took on a strange expression. ¡°She might be a little¡­well, just try to remember that she¡¯s a lot older than she looks, and she¡¯s had a hard life.¡± ¡°Um, okay,¡± Danny answered, now equal parts worried and confused. *** An hour later the truck pulled up in front of a small farmhouse. Danny didn¡¯t even know what State they were in, but the sun was setting, and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees was peaceful. Danny followed Legacy up onto the faded wooden porch, and was surprised to see the truck drive away, both Elites still inside. ¡°Allison will put us up for the night, and we¡¯ll make for the Tower tomorrow,¡± Legacy said as he knocked on the red door. Danny didn¡¯t say anything, feeling overwhelmed by the situation he was caught up in. I figured they¡¯d just drop me off at the Tower and have me do push ups or something, he thought as they waited for a supposedly dead legend to let them inside. At last the door opened, and a tall woman with brown hair and dark eyes was revealed. She was wearing sweats and a loose button-up shirt, and looked to be in her late twenties. ¡°You¡¯ve brought a lot of shit to my doorstep, Sam,¡± she said, before turning and disappearing into the house. Legacy sighed. ¡°Come on, Daniel, try not to get taken in by Allison¡¯s many charms,¡± a barked laugh could be heard from inside the house, and Danny obediently followed. He was somewhat surprised by the decor when he looked around. It reminded him of visiting his grandparents when he¡¯d been young. Colorful, floral wallpaper, dark wooden furniture, and blankets and quilts on everything. He followed Legacy into a living room that opened onto an old fashioned kitchen, where Mender was pouring two drinks from a fancy bottle. She glanced back into the living room before getting lemonade from the fridge and filling a third glass. ¡°Do you have any idea how many phone calls I¡¯ve gotten today, Sam?¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Sorry Allison, I know you value your peace and quiet, but the circumstances are¡­unusual.¡± She joined them in the sitting room, gesturing for the two guests to sit on a couch as she placed drinks and some cookies on a coffee table between them. A fire was lit in the nearby hearth, despite the time of year, and Danny felt it was a bit too warm, even if it was cozy. Mender sat in a rocking chair across from them, then spoke. ¡°I¡¯m aware of the circumstances. You finally have a mini-you and you¡¯re willing to throw your entire life away to keep him to yourself.¡± Legacy glared, and Mender barked another derisive laugh. ¡°If you think it¡¯s less serious than that, Sam then you really have no idea of the storm of shit that you¡¯ve kicked up with this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been a good soldier long enough to be owed a little leeway,¡± he replied firmly. ¡°Leeway? Sam, let me tell you what I¡¯ve heard so far today. The first Chancellor who called threatened my life if I agreed to help you. The second one knew how pointless that was, and instead suggested I should declare you mentally unstable. The third Chancellor tried to find a subtle way of asking whether I could disable you long enough for a team to take you away.¡± Danny¡¯s eyes had grown wider with each piece of information, and his mouth was hanging open by the end. Surprisingly though, Legacy laughed. ¡°Hundred bucks says I can guess each Chancellor first try,¡± Mender laughed with him. ¡°I won¡¯t take that bet, those assholes never change,¡± she responded. ¡°So what did you say?¡± Legacy asked with a smile. ¡°I just listed off a couple of fun facts about my own power set,¡± she said with a coy smile before sipping her drink. ¡°Let me guess, the range at which you can shut down a nervous system? Did Chancellor Murdock even take the hint?¡± She let out a sigh while rolling her eyes. ¡°I had to remind him how far Washington is from my house before he put two and two together.¡± Mender snorted. ¡°Every story about eternal youth I¡¯ve ever heard goes on and on about all the people who¡¯ll die of old age while you stay young, but they never talk about the idiots who seem to live forever along the way.¡± They were both quiet for a moment, sipping their drinks, and Danny hesitantly took a cookie. Finally Legacy spoke again, ¡°Thanks for taking us in, Allison. You know that I don¡¯t like bringing trouble to your door, but this¡­¡± he glanced at Danny. ¡°I don¡¯t like how they were looking at the boy,¡± he added, clearly trying to be cryptic. Mender nodded. ¡°If he¡¯s really a Power Shaper, then it¡¯s hardly a shock,¡± she looked at Danny then, finally acknowledging his existence. ¡°Well, kid, are you?¡± ¡°Um, I honestly don¡¯t know much about it,¡± Danny said, trying to use as much truth as possible. ¡°I haven¡¯t had my powers that long, and they took me by surprise. I¡¯m still getting a grip on them, and I haven¡¯t had any guidance. All I know is that today I did what Legacy does, and it was beautiful.¡± Mender stared at him, her eyes narrowed. A long moment passed, and he felt himself withering under her steady gaze. At last she stood up, then walked around the table to put a hand on his shoulder. A wave of cold passed through him, and he felt¡­good. Great, even. His anxiety calmed, the constant throb of adrenaline pumping through his veins seemed to stop, and his whole body relaxed. Mender nodded, then returned to her seat. ¡°Whatever was done to you, kid, you¡¯re in perfect health now. There¡¯s some sandwiches on the counter, grab a couple then head upstairs and get some rest. Second door on the right. Bed¡¯s ready.¡± Danny looked back and forth between the two ancient heroes, confused. Legacy nodded, and so Danny complied, realizing he was as starving as he was exhausted. *** Daniel took three sandwiches and made his way upstairs, mumbling a confused ¡®goodnight¡¯ as he did so. Sam watched him go, before compulsively expanding his senses as far as they could reach, making sure they were truly alone. Finally he turned back to Allison. ¡°Grown up talk?¡± he asked, and she took another sip of gin in reply. After a long moment, she finally began what he knew would be an unpleasant conversation. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Sammy?¡± she asked. ¡°You know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m making sure the kid survives long enough that he can take care of himself.¡± ¡°Survives what?¡± Allison said in a leading tone. ¡°They can¡¯t hear us here, Sam, I¡¯ve made sure of it. Eight separate Techs have made sure of it.¡± Sam stared down at his drink. He hated gin. ¡°I believe in the NGG¡¯s mission,¡± he said at last. ¡°But the NGG is full of people, and people love power. If he¡¯s really the next Legacy. Legacy¡¯s legacy, as it were¨C¡± ¡°Terrible,¡± she cut in, shaking her head. ¡°If he¡¯s really another Power Shaper,¡± Sam continued, ignoring her interruption, ¡°then there¡¯s going to be no end to the list of people who will want to exploit him, and use him for their own ends.¡± He paused, taking a sip of the too-sweet liquor. ¡°Kids have gone missing before, Ally. If they decide he¡¯s not becoming who they want him to be¡­¡± ¡°Wow,¡± she said, sounding genuine. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear you say a bad word about your overlords.¡± Sam glared. ¡°All I¡¯ve ever done has been for this world, and the people in it.¡± He spoke more softly, ¡°And for James¡­you haven¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from James in twenty years, Sam, and I don¡¯t expect to. You need to stop thinking about that man. He did what he could, while he could. But believe me, and think about my seven doctorates in psychology when I remind you that he was a broken, doomed man.¡± Sam put his head in his hands, and Allison put on a gentler tone. ¡°You need to forgive him one of these days, Sam. He gave everything he could to this world, but he¡¯d been through too much. You don¡¯t commit genocide of an entire species, living on the knife¡¯s edge for a decade, all the while knowing any slip means the end of humanity, then come out the other side with a smile on your face.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Sam said, louder than he intended, but having heard this too many times before. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make it any easier that he left me¨Cus,¡± he corrected quickly. Allison just smiled sadly. She knew that Sam had been a teenager when James had saved his life, and made him into who he was now. ¡°Your therapist called me as well, Sam,¡± Allison said softly, and he swore. ¡°And what did the brilliant Mr. Clark say?¡± he asked with irritation. ¡°Exactly what you expect. James left, I left, Ellie and Enzo left¨C¡± ¡°Betrayed us, you mean,¡± Sam said sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t lump those traitors in with you and James. I might be mad at you two, but you didn¡¯t abandon humanity.¡± Allison sighed, ¡°I saw Enzo last week, Sam, he didn¡¯t betray anyone. He¡¯s a corporate asshole now, and he only cares about his next stupid gadget, but he¡¯s not a traitor.¡± Sam grunted, and Allison shook her head. ¡°But it¡¯s not humanity he betrayed, was it?¡± she prompted. ¡°I¡¯m not here to talk about that,¡± Sam said with finality. ¡°Fine, we won¡¯t get into it. But you know your own diagnosis, Sam, and you know why there¡¯s a lot of people worried right now.¡± Sam leaned back on the couch, sighing. ¡°Rejection issues, attachment disorder, fear of abandonment, blah, blah, blah. We didn¡¯t used to listen to shrinks.¡± Allison rolled her eyes. ¡°Right, and everyone in the fifties was so well adjusted. Look Sam, I don¡¯t want to talk to you about this, but I have to. You are not James, and this kid is not you. Just remember that, okay?¡± Sam was quiet for a long time, finally taking another sip of the increasingly tolerable gin. ¡°I know, alright? And I know that it¡¯s dangerous to want this, but that doesn¡¯t mean it has to be wrong. He has my powers, Ally, he¡¯s like me. He needs me. I can help him.¡± Allison leaned across the table and put a hand on his knee. ¡°Sam, if you want to keep him safe, you can do that. You can fight off the whole damn world if you want to. Just make sure you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into.¡± Sam looked into her eyes, and repeated himself. ¡°He¡¯s like me, Ally, and I¡¯ve fought the whole world before.¡± Chapter 32: Infinity Tower I began by eliminating the weakest of them, slowly rebuilding my power. I took on ever more powerful opponents, until I was liberating entire countries. After over an hour of flying inside a bubble of Legacy¡¯s power, the novelty was starting to wear off and Danny was feeling air-sick. G-force and wind were completely canceled out by the sphere of energy, but dangling in the air a few thousand feet up was enough to give anyone their first taste of vertigo. Danny was immensely grateful when he saw Infinity Tower approaching fast. Washington DC hadn¡¯t fared well during the Invasion. Humanity had been hit in most of its major population centers, and even more so anywhere that political power was seated. In the many decades since, it had been largely rebuilt for symbolic purposes, and was now a thriving city once more. The NGG had largely avoided the major areas of governance from before the invasion, however, likely to avoid people still thinking about former-America and other, similar broken national bonds. As such, while Legacy had insisted that Infinity tower be built here, the NGG¡¯s presence was intentionally minimalized. That was more than agreeable to Danny, who was grateful to be further from their grip. He stared out over the city, seeing it for the first time. There weren¡¯t many tall buildings, but the Invader presence was far less pronounced here than it had been in New Technopolis. There were still remnants from the war, including some stubborn, smaller structures of that mysterious alien black metal, but much of it had been buried under massive piles of earth. A rather patriotic super in the seventies had developed considerable ability in displacing soil. He hadn¡¯t been very capable when it came to fighting, but he¡¯d made it his own personal mission to make the city fit for humans again. It had taken years, but the result was a city of rolling hills, now covered in homes and vegetation. Rising from what Danny assumed was the downtown area, was a building far larger than any other. Infinity tower wouldn¡¯t have stood out in NTC, but here it was a beacon of shining glass and steel, standing protectively above everything else. Legacy noticed him staring and spoke proudly. ¡°Forty stories, entirely dedicated to the development and management of Hero teams across North America. The lower floors are all offices. It takes a lot of work to coordinate Super Teams, and scout for talent. The middle floors are living areas, entertainment, and even some small shopping centers. You won¡¯t need to leave unless you choose to; we like to be self-sufficient.¡± Danny was grateful to hear that, still frightened that NGG teams might be waiting for him around every corner. His eyes followed the structure¡¯s shape to the top, which was strangely constructed. ¡°What about the upper floors?¡± ¡°Training, and Infinity headquarters,¡± he answered. The top section of the building broke off like limbs sprouting from a tree, clearly taking advantage of K-Technologies in the way each branch seemed to defy gravity. ¡°You can see that there¡¯s a central area between the smaller towers, that¡¯s where you¡¯ll spend most of your time.¡± As they flew closer, Danny was able to make out more details, and he realized that the building was actually quite wide. The central area Legacy referred to was almost as big as the play-fields back at the farm, and the way the branches spread out and upward from it made it look a bit like a colosseum. He could even make out people, obviously supers given the occasional light show or burst of fire. ¡°You know,¡± Danny said, ¡°I¡¯ve been out of the loop for a while, but even back in the Farm¨Cuh, school¨Cwe hadn¡¯t heard anything about Team Infinity for a while. Will I get to meet the other members?¡± Legacy looked troubled, and took a moment before answering. ¡°Herald is actually an instructor, so you¡¯ll definitely meet here. Gigaforce still lives at the facility, but he¡¯s been¡­taking some time to himself lately, so you might not cross paths. The rest of the team is on sabbatical; there¡¯s fewer and fewer Villains these days, and they¡¯ve found more practical uses for their powers¨Cor so I¡¯ve been told.¡± Danny had about a thousand follow-up questions, having been a fan of the team since he was little, but Legacy¡¯s bitter tone made it clear that he wasn¡¯t interested in discussing the topic further. Instead, they both spent the final few minutes of the flight watching the Tower grow closer, the sun lighting it up like a pillar of crystal and fire. At last the bubble lowered them onto the landing platform that was large enough for the jets that shuttled Heroes from crisis to crisis, and Danny let out a relieved breath to be standing on something solid again. He followed Legacy toward the central area, taking in everything he could with undisguised awe. There were six towers branching out, shaping the central area into a massive hexagon. The towers were slightly displaced from the buildings ¡®trunk¡¯, making it look to Danny like the world¡¯s biggest cactus. It wasn¡¯t quite as crowded as he¡¯d expected, but there was a steady stream of people following the paths into and out of the towers, and there were elevators at each of the six sides. The central area itself, called the hub, apparently, was an interesting mix of training yard meets backyard. There were trees, gardens, and sitting areas around the outside, with the center giving way to exercise equipment, small enclosed structures, and what looked like fighting rings. Danny could see the other young Heroes clearly now, and it was an impressive sight. A small girl with dark skin and dreadlocks was lifting weights that had to be heavier than a car. Two guys completely unrecognizable in gray, full-body safety suits were sparring with their full powers. One was floating above the arena, a number of steel discs alternately circling him and flying downward toward his opponent. The other was answering with some kind of attack Danny couldn¡¯t understand, but seemed to make the air vibrate as it shattered anything that came close to him. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you soon, don¡¯t worry,¡± Legacy said with a smile, then continued on toward the Northernmost tower. Crossing to the tower meant walking over a section of the building that felt uncomfortably like a bridge hovering forty stories up. Thankfully, glass walls rose up on either side, but Danny¡¯s already queasy stomach kept trying to convince him the structure would collapse beneath him. A sign named the section as the Administration Tower, and it had the feel of an office building when they entered. A red haired receptionist jumped up when she saw them. ¡°Mr. Legacy!¡± she said, rushing around the curved, wooden desk. ¡°Mrs. Gibson is expecting you in conference room C.¡± ¡°Thanks Maggie, I know where it is,¡± he answered, confidently walking to the left of her desk, and into a more open area. Danny hastily followed, finding the drab, gray building filled with desks uncomfortably similar to the Farm, and a bit of a disappointment after the excitement of the training area. They soon found the conference room, which was just a big table with a few pictures of bland art on the walls. A brown haired, dark skinned woman in a blue suit sat on one side, surrounded by papers. A younger, Asian man was standing behind her, holding even more papers, as well as a tablet. The woman spoke as Legacy entered, ¡°I know you¡¯re ancient, Sam, but insisting we use paper is getting ridiculous.¡± Legacy smiled, ¡°Well Judy, when you live through two separate instances of all technology failing, you gain an appreciation for hard copy.¡± Judy rolled her eyes, but Danny got the impression this was some kind of friendly running gag. She turned to him next. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Welcome Mr. Summers, I¡¯m glad Legacy was able to get you here safely, and I¡¯m truly sorry to hear about what happened to you. My name is Judy Gibson, Chief Administrator here at the tower.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, ma¡¯am. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m really here.¡± She looked sad at that. ¡°I can only imagine you¡¯re happy to be anywhere that isn¡¯t with that Villain. First of all I¡¯d like to assure you that the NGG has provided us with the best psychologists possible, and they¡¯ll be overseeing your recovery.¡± Danny tried to smile at that, but it was a struggle. ¡°Of course,¡± she continued, ¡°we¡¯re extremely pleased to find that you¡¯d like to join us at the tower, but understand that we won¡¯t hold you to any major life decisions made immediately following the trauma you just experienced.¡± Danny was surprised, and a little touched to discover that she seemed sincere. He¡¯d lumped all NGG people in with those at the farm for so long that he¡¯d never expected this. ¡°Honestly, ma¡¯am, I didn¡¯t just make this decision. I made it when I was five years old, and basically every day since then. Being a Hero is all I ever wanted. Doing it at Infinity Tower is beyond my wildest dreams.¡± Once again, Danny was pleased to find that the truth was going to carry him through a lot of this. Mrs. Gibson and Legacy both smiled at that, and the powerful Hero even put a hand on Danny¡¯s shoulder in a friendly way. Danny kept his smile small, despite how much he was beaming on the inside. He had to try to remember that he¡¯d supposedly been captured and worse for half a year. Lucia has suggested he lean as hard into the Hero opportunity as possible, both because it fit, and because she thought they would see it as a realistic coping method. Still, no one in his position would be completely normal. ¡°Well that¡¯s wonderful to hear, Mr. Summers, but what I said stands. You¡¯re welcome here as long as you want, and we¡¯ll even talk about training soon, but don¡¯t let this opportunity become a burden. You¡¯ve been through enough.¡± ¡°Allison cleared him for training already,¡± Legacy insisted, pulling a chip out of a pocket and sliding it across the table. ¡°Oh look, and data chip. From someone older than you, no less. Remarkable,¡± Legacy laughed out loud, and Mrs. Gibson continued. ¡°We received word that he was cleared, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re pushing him into anything. Let him rest, Sam.¡± Legacy¡¯s face flashed with anger for a moment, but shifted immediately when he looked at Danny. ¡°Of course,¡± he said while running a hand over his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daniel. Don¡¯t let me push you either. I¡¯m just excited to see you in action, and I¡¯m proud of the resilience you¡¯re showing.¡± Legacy is proud of me, Danny thought, not caring what it was for. ¡°Thanks Legacy, maybe¡­maybe we take it day by day? You could always give me some pointers, not like training means I need to fight Super Villains on my first day, right?¡± Legacy let out a friendly laugh, ¡°That can wait until day two, don¡¯t worry.¡± He looked over at the younger man standing behind Mrs. Gibson. ¡°Alex, can you please take Daniel to get a change of clothes, and some food if he wants? We¡¯ll take care of the paperwork.¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. Parker,¡± Alex said. ¡°Right this way, Mr. Summers, Tower two has some spare uniforms.¡± Danny looked at Legacy, who gave him a nod, then followed Alex. He didn¡¯t like being away from the Hero as he¡¯d only just started feeling safe, but he knew that had to end sooner or later. If he wasn¡¯t safe to walk around Infinity Tower, it wasn¡¯t safe anywhere. Alex led him to the next tower, chatting all the while about different areas that Danny could visit for various purposes. Finally he was left in a locker room with a number of different training uniforms. They were uniformly dark blue, with gray highlights at the cuffs and zippers, and felt like jumpsuits. It took some time for him to find one that matched his height without being too bulky. A lot of jacked dudes here apparently. When he left, Alex was finishing a call on his KD. ¡°Mrs. Gibson says they¡¯ll need some more time, but I¡¯ve been asked to join them. Will you be okay waiting in the training area? There¡¯s all sorts of food, and Legacy said you might get a kick out of watching the other Young Heroes.¡± ¡°That sounds awesome,¡± Danny replied readily, and quickly left what he¡¯d learned was the Supply Tower. He waved goodbye to Alex, and walked toward a nearby food area. It was mostly protein shakes and boring stuff, but for some reason they had corn dogs, so he got three. Danny felt a shocking amount of freedom from not having to be someone else for the first time since leaving the warehouse, and he felt his body truly unclench. He ate the first corn dog while wandering around and trying to get a sense of the place, but he knew that he could only resist watching the other supers for so long. Soon enough he was finding a bench to sit on near where the two guys were still wailing on each other. His second corn dog was just as good as the first, and he was absently eating it when a tall, blond girl walked up to him. ¡°So you¡¯re him,¡± she said, sounding irritated. Danny looked up at her. Shit, she¡¯s super hot. Do something cool. ¡°Corn dog?¡± he asked, handing one up to her without thinking. It was the one he¡¯d been eating. So close, he lamented. Her face screwed up in confusion and disbelief. ¡°What? No, that¡¯s disgusting. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked. ¡°He was tortured by a sexy Super Villain!¡± the non-flying guy called out. Finally, someone who gets it, Danny thought. ¡°Shut up, Charles,¡± she said, turning her green eyes back on Danny. ¡°Is that right, new guy? You were tortured and now you don¡¯t know how to act like a regular person?¡± ¡°Which one of us is supposed to be regular?¡± Danny replied. ¡°Magic flying disk guy, or miniscule-mighty-marie over there, juggling the weights?¡± The tall girl turned back to look at the girl with dreadlocks, who had indeed been juggling. She hastily put the massive weights down, looking embarrassed. ¡°Whatever,¡± blondie said. ¡°So you think you¡¯re special?¡± she asked. ¡°Legacy¡¯s new golden boy?¡± ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry blondie, you must have been the old golden boy,¡± Danny responded, getting serious Eric Palmer vibes from this girl. Wait, he¡¯s dead. Do I have to pretend he wasn¡¯t a douche now? Blondie looked full-on pissed, so Danny went back to eating his corn dog. ¡°My name is Firestrike,¡± she hissed. ¡°Her name is Nell!¡± Charles yelled, while simultaneously shattering another hurled disk. ¡°Shut up, Charles!¡± Nell screamed again, then whirled back to Danny. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show us what you can do, golden boy?¡± Danny stood up, mock outrage on his face, ¡°My name is Firestrike!¡± he said, copying her tone perfectly. Charles laughed, the distraction allowing a disk to crash into his side. Danny winced sympathetically, as Nell just glared at him in open confusion and disapproval. ¡°Honestly though, I really shouldn¡¯t,¡± Danny said, trying to remember to act like the person he was pretending to be. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to control my powers yet.¡± Nell scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. Just get this through your corn dog filled head: I¡¯m going to lead Young Infinity. Not you, not anyone else.¡± Danny tried to hold the sarcasm in. ¡°Well you seem like a great leader. I¡¯m already inspired.¡± Whoops. Nell finally appeared to have been pushed to her limit. Danny got the impression her limit wasn¡¯t very high. Her eyes and hair burst alight with an inner fire, and she threw a fist toward him, flames exploding outward. He reacted without thinking, holding his remaining corn dog in front of him like a sword. His borrowed powers reacted with him, and a burst of green energy met the flames, then continued forward. The shapeless mass of light continued past the fire, crashing into Nell and launching her backward with disturbing force. She flew across the training yard, between the two sparring supers, and crashed into a pile of weights, which rolled and bounced in every direction. Nell lay there groaning, but everyone else on the central platform had gone still, staring at the scene. ¡°Well, shit,¡± Danny said, taking a bite of his slightly scorched corn dog. Chapter 33: London Calling For a time, I felt unstoppable. There was always someone stronger, but also a path to greater strength. I knew I would kill them all. Lucia had never been on a boat before¨Cnot that she could remember, at least. The trip had taken over a week, and it had been a boring, anxious journey. K-Tech had revolutionized most types of transport, but apparently the ocean presented challenges that weren¡¯t worth the cost to overcome. Lucia had grown very used to staring out at the endless sea. There were good parts to the journey though. It was undeniably beautiful to look across a blue horizon, watching the waves and the clouds, and she sensed the tempting freedom that lured sailors to the life. The crew was also very small, despite the ship¡¯s size. It was a massive shipping vessel, rusted and ancient, with only twelve people keeping it afloat. Lucia took frequent walks around the craft, mindlessly navigating nearly a mile of rust-colored metal. Huge shipping containers were her most constant companions, though she often spotted Gretta nearby. The woman was of Indian ancestry, but may as well have been Arthur¡¯s twin despite their difference in appearance. Gretta was lovely, with large dark eyes, and wavy black hair that Lucia envied. Her own was the same glossy black, but turned into a ghastly perm if she tried to do anything other than leave it hanging straight. The same was true when it was humid, so the ocean had been doing Lucia no favors, and she kept her hood up to avoid comparisons to the stunning woman. Gretta had given no second name, merely towered over her by half a foot, and proclaimed she was a ¡®Guardian¡¯ from the London branch, responsible for Lucia¡¯s safety. She claimed not to be authorized to give much information on the Cult until they arrived, but was otherwise much like Arthur: quietly competent, outwardly appearing friendly, and always, always around. Lucia was her charge, apparently, and that meant privacy was a thing of the past. This might not have been so bad if the woman was better company, but she was more like the concept of professionalism transposed into a human body. The break from the constant foreign thoughts in the city was nice, but despite her odd protector, Lucia was surprised to find herself a little lonely. She knew that was about to come to an abrupt end, however, as she¡¯d spotted land over an hour ago. She was at the bow of the massive vessel being pummeled by wind, while trying to control her own anxiety. She was heading into the belly of a beast she¡¯d long thought was dead, and supposedly embracing powers she¡¯d long despised. Still, she¡¯d had a lot of time to think without the constant whispers of others in her mind, and Lucia believed she¡¯d found the resolve she¡¯d lost this past year. She didn¡¯t like who she¡¯d become since her powers Manifested. She hadn¡¯t been a scared little girl since the day she¡¯d watched her mother send her father into the fire, and she refused to be one now. She¡¯d escaped the Power farm and the NGG. She¡¯d fought off a murderous Psychic. She¡¯d kept herself and her little brother alive after losing both their parents. She wasn¡¯t going to be a victim, and she wasn¡¯t going to let this world break her. Lucia realized she was glaring at the distant land, and made herself look down at the tablet that Arthur had handed her before she left. ¡®Something Vincent wanted her to see,¡¯ he¡¯d said. Details about Veridicus, of all things. Apparently the man was aware of his own shortcomings, and having trouble utlizing the massive following he¡¯d developed. Vincent thought she could help. Possibly add some emotion and perspective to the endless conspiracies and incendiary claims the madman was known for. Lucia wasn¡¯t sure if she should be surprised that Arthur had been able to put Vincent in touch with Veridicus, but it was a shock to find out that the theatrical nut-job was apparently open to receiving their help. Truthfully, she didn¡¯t really care what the man¡¯s motivations were, so long as he was willing to listen to her. She was about to join the Cult of the Mind. She would be surrounded by mind readers, and mind destroyers. The people the whole world feared, and rightly so. But they didn¡¯t know Lucia Villari. They didn¡¯t know what she was capable of, and¨Cthanks to her brother¡¯s surprising request¨Cthey didn¡¯t know she was coming with an army behind her. *** Lucia watched the city of London speed by as the small, unassuming car drove her to her fate. Gretta was seated next to her, remaining vigilant while the silent driver concentrated on the unusual roads. They were on the left side, which might have been jarring to Lucia if she¡¯d been in a car more than a few times since childhood, but it was nothing compared to the scenery they drove past. London was, and would likely always be a famous city. There was massive history here, of course, but it was all overshadowed by its more recent claim to fame: the place where the Great Hero began his journey. Where other cities alternately tried to hide, or embrace the remnants of the Invasion, London was a living monument to humanity¡¯s side of the conflict. Being a major population center, the city had been leveled during the invasion, and little of the old architecture remained. Like in New Technopolis, the NGG had rebuilt some monuments and meaningful structures, but it was largely new¨Cthough ¡®New London¡± had never caught on. Whatever it might have looked like before the war, it was essentially a single, city-sized museum and tourist destination at this point. The car passed by endless hotels and themed businesses, and no less than a dozen battle sights where the Great Hero had either killed something or saved someone. It would have been fascinating¨Cshould have been¨Cfascinating, but Lucia found it impossible to think of the world¡¯s savior outside the context of the NGG. He¡¯d been so synonymous with the propaganda she¡¯d been drowning in at the Farm that he didn¡¯t seem like a hero at all anymore. The NGG flags and banners didn¡¯t help the situation, and Lucia began to wonder if the Cult setting up in the heart of hero-worship central was the point. Whether it was a matter of hiding in plain sight, or an act of defiance, she doubted it was coincidental. After what seemed like an endless ride through an NGG fever dream, the buildings started getting older, and looked to be repaired pre-Invasion structures. They were uniformly uninteresting, being a series of brown, stained warehouses and ancient, forgotten homes. Still, there were people everywhere. ¡°Why does this part of town seem so different?¡± she asked. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°The NGG did exactly enough to give the world a lovely facade of what they think London should be,¡± Gretta answered in her crisp, British accent. ¡°That didn¡¯t leave room for the countless refugees and London natives that came here for sanctuary. Thus, the slums,¡± she gestured out the window, ¡°the last remnants of the real city. Stains from the industrial revolution and an alien Invasion; quite remarkable, really.¡± Lucia found herself staring with renewed interest, but her limited education lacked the historical context to appreciate what she was seeing. Soon it was moot, as the car slowed in front of a large building that felt oddly familiar. It was three stories, and large, and looked like it may have been a school once. The same brown bricks and disrepair as every other structure should have let it fade into the background, yet Lucia was immediately certain they were looking at the local branch of the Cult of the Mind. Gretta got out of the car as soon as it came to a stop, and Lucia followed suit. Gretta took the small, solitary bag of luggage from the trunk, then proceeded up the concrete steps to the surprisingly white doors without a word. Following, Lucia began to focus her thoughts, uncomfortably aware of the company she was about to surround herself with. Gretta surprised her by stopping at the door, however, and reaching into her long jacket. She retrieved a silvery metal circlet that bent on a single hinge, and held it out for Lucia to take. ¡°Have you seen these before?¡± Lucia took the object and felt its weight in her hands. Strangely, she felt like she did recognize it, but couldn¡¯t remember from where. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dampening collar. It won¡¯t affect any of your outward powers, but it will prevent your thoughts from being read by other Psychics.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened, and vague memories of seeing the collar in her childhood resurfaced. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Psychic shielding worked that well,¡± she said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t. It won¡¯t prevent any hostile powers directed at you, it just keeps your personal thoughts contained. Even that only works because it resonates with your powers; it won¡¯t work on anyone who isn¡¯t a Psychic. Still, it¡¯s common practice in the Cult. Free thought is the only path to trust.¡± Lucia nodded, though she was surprised by the ironic sentiment. Taking a deep breath, she snapped the collar into place. She was already more than aware that her life was in these peoples¡¯ hands, and hesitating at a necklace seemed comparatively silly. As soon as it was on, Gretta placed her hand on the heavy door handle, which beeped quietly after a moment, then swung open. Lucia followed the taller woman inside, and was immediately shocked by the building¡¯s interior. It may have looked like a dilapidated schoolhouse on the outside, but the inside was that of a lavish mansion. A massive, sprawling staircase was directly ahead, splitting in two directions toward each wing of the house. The floor was covered in beautiful carpets, mostly red, and every surface was covered in art. People were walking by, some nodding politely in her direction but most content to go about their business. Lucia was struck by how ordinary they all were. While they were dressed better than most of those she¡¯d seen on the way here, they were otherwise unremarkable. They were just¡­people. Her examination was interrupted as a boy around her own age came running up. He was dark skinned, and his short hair spiked out in every direction. ¡°Gretta!¡± he called, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late. Master Ilara¡¯s lecture went long.¡± He quickly grabbed the bag from her hands, then turned to Lucia. ¡°I¡¯m Jeff Lockley. I¡¯m supposed to give you the tour. Pleased to meet you!¡± He held out his free hand for her to shake, and Lucia did so, trying to decide if she liked or hated his cocky grin. ¡°I¡¯m Lucia Villari,¡± she replied. ¡°Oh I know,¡± he said, the smile growing wider. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been talking about you arriving. If it weren¡¯t for Arthur vouching for you, I don¡¯t think we would have believed it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± His expression shifted to one of surprise, ¡°You don¡¯t know? We all thought the New York branch was entirely wiped out. That someone survived, and a Villari no less? Well, if it¡¯s not a scam, then it might just be a miracle.¡± Lucia cocked an eyebrow, surprised by the answer. ¡°It¡¯s New Technopolis now, you know.¡± Both Jeff and Gretta laughed aloud at that. ¡°While you¡¯re in England, it¡¯s New York. Trust me on that,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe you can start the tour?¡± Gretta broke in. ¡°I need to speak to the Cultivator.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jeff answered. ¡°Let¡¯s get your stuff to the dorms, then I¡¯ll show you around.¡± She obediently followed up in the stairs and to the left, into the West wing. Gretta disappeared somewhere downstairs, and Lucia concentrated on her earlier declarations of confidence as she went deeper into the compound. Soon Jeff opened a door which led to a small, but extravagantly decorated room. He placed her bag on a large bed with a thick, wooden frame, then started gesturing around. ¡°You¡¯ve got facilities in there, but showers are in the big room down the hall. Food is downstairs; I¡¯ll show you where. Did you want to settle in, or see the sights?¡± As the room was effectively a smaller, British version of the cell she¡¯d spent the last half-year in, Lucia didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Show me the sights, they¡¯re why I¡¯m here.¡± Jeff flashed his wide grin again, then led the way. They went back downstairs, then slowly explored each wing. Each time they passed an open door, Jeff would give a different spiel. ¡°That¡¯s Dr. Wen¡¯s class. She focuses on how Psychic powers relate to the biological brain. Oh, that¡¯s Master Glenn¡¯s class, he specializes in mental attacks and fortifications, you¡¯ll want to pay attention to that. This here is Master Ilara¡¯s room, but the door is always closed. She¡¯s more about meditation and mindfulness.¡± After a half dozen such descriptions, Lucia finally interrupted. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I expected,¡± she said. He turned back to her with a curious expression. ¡°What did you expect?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­victims chained to walls to practice our abilities on? People praying to the dead Prophet in circles of blood? Hell, even the ¡®classes¡¯ are a surprise. I thought we just used our powers and they advanced, this is almost all theory.¡± Jeff surprised her by laughing. ¡°Sounds like you only know the NGG version of the Cult,¡± he paused, a finger on his lips. ¡°In fairness, the whole ¡®Cult¡¯ thing doesn¡¯t help, but there¡¯s a story there too. Look, I think you should speak to the Cultivator, he¡¯s the one with the answers you really need.¡± ¡°The guy Gretta was speaking to? Is he the leader?¡± ¡°As much as anyone is,¡± Jeff replied, then gestured for her to follow. A little nervous, Lucia did so, and soon they were taking a flight of stairs to a lower level. While similarly decorated, the lack of natural light made it seem more ominous, but she resolved not to let it show as she followed her tour guide down a long hallway. At last the hall opened into a large chamber, with seating and a podium. It reminded her of the central chamber back home, except it was fancier in every possible way. Red drapes and tapestries decorated the walls, and there were pews instead of chairs. The large room was empty save for Gretta, and a man she was speaking to near the podium. He was wearing a black robe, and facing away from them as they walked in. Gretta noticed the two, and whispered something to the man who was presumably the Cultivator. He nodded, and Gretta moved toward the pair, gesturing for Jeff to come with her as she made to leave the room. Lucia turned to say something, but a friendly voice interrupted her. ¡°Lucia!¡± the man called, and she turned back to the robed individual, her eyes widening. He wasn¡¯t particularly tall, but he was certainly familiar. His black hair was thick, shiny, and came almost to his shoulders, but otherwise he looked shockingly like Vincent. Except for the scars. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, Lucia,¡± he said, smiling wide. ¡°I promise I didn¡¯t know you were alive, or I would have had you out of that godforsaken Farm years ago. I hope you can forgive me.¡± Lucia was speechless, staring at the long-healed burns that spread up from his chest to cover the left side of his face. ¡°Dad?¡± she whispered. Chapter 34: A Dangerous Man When I was finally ready to face him again, I was supremely confident. I was infinitely more powerful than I¡¯d been on that terrible day. Dad? Lucia¡¯s mind seemed to be falling apart. It had been thirteen years since she¡¯d seen her father¡­since she¡¯d seen him die. She¡¯d been utterly unprepared for a moment like this, as a completely new reality seemed to be overwriting everything she believed. Stranger still, her father was laughing. ¡°Really?¡± he said, after the chuckle died down. ¡°Even with the hair? I haven¡¯t heard that one in a while.¡± He reached up and dramatically tossed his hair back, as if it were all some big joke. ¡°I guess I¡¯m flattered? With the scars, it¡¯s hard to feel like the pretty one anymore.¡± He seemed to be waiting for her to laugh, and when he realized she was crying¨Cand rendered speechless¨Call the mirth left his expression. ¡°Am I missing something? What¡¯s going on?¡± Lucia choked out a few words, struggling to understand what her father was saying. ¡°I saw you die,¡± she whispered, and his eyes widened with shock. One hand went to his temple as he furiously shook his head. ¡°Lucia I¡­I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Can we start this over?¡± he asked, still holding his head. His confusion only made her own worse, and she found herself trapped between running toward him and needing to retreat. ¡°Dad I¨C¡± ¡°Whoa there,¡± he interrupted, waving both hands in front of him. ¡°Your dad is an interesting guy, but he can¡¯t be in two places at once. Do you really not remember me?¡± He looked at her expectantly. When he saw her desperately searching his features, he somewhat awkwardly pushed his hair back and presented his less scarred side to her for appraisal. After a long, awkward moment he let his hair drop and his shoulders slumped. ¡°I¡¯m your uncle Marco, Lucia. I guess adults forget what it¡¯s like for young kids who¡¯ve only seen us a few times. Those were really meaningful moments to me, but I think you were only five the last time we saw each other.¡± He looked uncomfortable, then got an odd expression, ¡°But I¡¯m still confused, haven¡¯t you seen your father since you escaped the Farm? Arthur refused to give details¨Cwhich isn¡¯t a shock¨Cbut I assumed you and Vincenzo had to be staying with your dad.¡± Lucia was struggling to keep up, her body shaking and her thoughts were coming slowly as she tried to process everything this man said. Uncle Marco? she thought. Could I really have family I don¡¯t remember? But what about the burns, is this all some kind of game? Marco had wisely given her time to collect herself, and finally she managed to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you. Vincent¡¯s never mentioned you either,¡± he looked sad at hearing that, and she thought his reaction was genuine. ¡°But my father is dead. How could you not know that if you¡¯re really his brother?¡± Again, confusion painted his features. ¡°Lucia, I don¡¯t know how you could possibly think that¨C¡± ¡°I saw him die!¡± she screamed. ¡°I saw him walk into fire! I¡¯ve seen it in my mind and in my nightmares ever since!¡± Marco visibly recoiled, and his hands seemed to reflexively reach for his burns. A moment later, they both went higher as he gripped his head once again. ¡°No, that¡¯s not¨C¡± he cut off, groaning in pain. ¡°That¡¯s not right, Lucia. I don¡¯t know what you think happened¨C¡± ¡°How did you get those burns?¡± she shrieked at him, hearing a tinge of madness in her own voice as it echoed through the high-ceilinged room. ¡°That night,¡± he said, turning away from her. ¡°I was¨C¡± his voice cut off as he collapsed to his knees. Lucia took an involuntary step forward, her entire being telling her that she was seeing her father in pain. ¡°Dad are you¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your father!¡± he roared, rushing to his feet and stumbling past her toward the door. ¡°Gretta!¡± he cried, his voice raising an octave. ¡°Gretta I need you!¡± Lucia followed him, reaching out in confusion and desperation. A moment later Gretta was back, clearly prepared for a fight. She looked to Lucia first, her expression suspicious, but when she took in the Cultivator''s condition, both hands still clutching his head, her countenance quickly changed. ¡°Lucia, come with me; he needs to be alone.¡± Without waiting for any kind of answer, she gripped Lucia¡¯s wrist in an iron grasp, and physically dragged her from the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucia asked as she tried, and failed, to take her arm back. ¡°What the hell is happening here, that was my father!¡± They¡¯d been moving rapidly down the hallway, but Gretta stopped short at the comment. She looked at Lucia with the same confusion that the burned man had shown. ¡°You don¡¯t remember your uncle?¡± she asked, clearly surprised, then resumed the quick pace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we thought his presence would make your transition here easier. How could you mistake him for your father though? With the hair and the scars¨C¡± ¡°My father is dead!¡± Lucia said again, feeling like the only sane person in a world that had just turned crazy. Gretta stopped once more, this time in front of an alcove Lucia hadn¡¯t noticed on the way in. There was a large, thick metal door a few feet back, mostly lost in the basement¡¯s dim light, but it was a sharp contrast to the rest of the building¡¯s decor. A vault of some kind? her rational mind thought. Gretta was looking back and forth from Lucia to the now distant room they¡¯d just left. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what happened in there, or how you could possibly be unaware of your father, but I can promise you he¡¯s very much alive. No one here would keep that from you.¡± ¡°I saw him die,¡± Lucia insisted, sparking a rare, sympathetic look from Gretta. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you saw, and I¡¯m certain the Cultivator¨Cyour uncle¨Cwill want to hear it, but now isn¡¯t the time. It¡¯s best that you get your answers from him,¡± she said, looking uncertain. Lucia was still struggling to keep her thoughts in order. ¡°What happened in there? What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Gretta sighed. ¡°He has¡­episodes. It¡¯s fairly common knowledge and I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t mind you knowing. He was at your compound the night that Legacy attacked. He felt over hundred other Psychics die that night, all in pain and terror. Those scars are as real as the burns.¡± Lucia considered, and a part of her did start believing this man wasn¡¯t her father. She was certain that only her mother had been a Psychic. She opened her mouth with more questions, but Gretta forestalled her. ¡°That¡¯s as much¨Cor more¨Cthan I should have told you. Your uncle will want to tell you the rest, I¡¯m sure.¡± She finally released Lucia¡¯s arm, sensing that she¡¯d calmed. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll have some food brought to your room. The episodes are painful, but they don¡¯t last long. Given what you were speaking of, I¡¯m certain the Cultivator will call for you soon.¡± She started moving, and Lucia took one final glance before following. *** My father is alive? Lucia thought for the thousandth time. The wait was longer than she would have liked, and after two hours she was feeling emotionally numb as she sat in her new bed, staring at an uneaten platter of food. She¡¯d calmed enough that she was finally able to apply logic to the emotional hurricane that her interaction with the Cultivator had been. She still had no recollection of an uncle, but she also had to admit to herself that it had been a very long time, and her memories from childhood had grown foggy after the intense trauma she¡¯d experienced. Yes the man looked shockingly like her father, but she also hadn¡¯t seen her father¡¯s face since that terrible night. It was possible he was telling the truth, but there were other, more insidious possibilities as well. Truthfully, most of her thinking came back to what the Cultivator and Gretta had both readily agreed on¨Ctheir father was alive. More than that, the two had been convinced she should know that. Had Arthur implied something? If he hadn¡¯t shared the method by which her brother and their friends had escaped the farm, perhaps they¡¯d assumed it had been their father¡¯s doing. That line of reasoning hadn¡¯t gotten her very far, even if it did leave her head spinning with questions and possibilities. Instead, she¡¯d begun thinking of that horrible night in a way she¡¯d never allowed herself to in the past. Her mind always shied away from memories of the night she lost her parents, but now curiosity was forcing a deeper examination. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. She¡¯d always known it was the NGG who had attacked the compound, and at some point Legacy¡¯s personal involvement had been revealed. Those were truths she¡¯d lived with since she¡¯d first arrived at the Farm, however, and it wasn¡¯t until recently that there had been anything more to consider. Vincent¡¯s discovery of the mysterious weapon had changed things, but truthfully she didn¡¯t know by how much. Perhaps the NGG had a clearer purpose in their attack, but that didn¡¯t affect the outcome. If she truly had an uncle who¡¯d been there as well, however, maybe there was more to the story. But even if he didn¡¯t often visit, as he claimed, why wouldn¡¯t she have seen him that night? At last a knock on her door came, hopefully promising answers. Lucia got up and rushed to it, finding Greta waiting. The woman glanced at the uneaten food, but didn¡¯t appear surprised. ¡°The Cultivator is ready to see you,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s in the greenhouse; I can take you now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Lucia replied, wondering if she truly was. Her escort nodded, and led the way. ¡°I can only imagine how difficult this is for you, but try your best to remain calm around your uncle. He¡¯s more fragile than any of us would like, and a second episode in one day would be damaging.¡± Lucia nodded as they went down the stairs, and followed a hallway that Jeff hadn¡¯t had time to show her during the tour. It led outside, which was a fairly large yard, almost a small park. It was surrounded entirely by other buildings, and quite secluded. They passed several gardens and hedges, and numerous people reading or chatting as Gretta led them to a cottage-sized greenhouse in the back corner. Lucia followed the taller woman into the glass structure, momentarily stunned by the humidity inside. There were flowers everywhere, and various gardening implements, as well as two chairs in the center. The man who claimed to be her uncle sat in one, facing away from them. ¡°Thank you Gretta, please wait outside,¡± he said, while patting the other chair. Lucia glanced at Gretta as the woman left, then inspected the Cultivator as she sat down. He¡¯d changed out of his robes and into older, working clothes, but had a dark blanket wrapped around himself despite the building¡¯s heat. He looked decidedly unthreatening, even with his dark glossy hair pulled back and his scars on full display. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before,¡± he said evenly. ¡°I had no idea what I was walking into, and I feel foolish for how I behaved.¡± Lucia nodded, not sure yet what to say. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you as much as I can,¡± he promised, ¡°but I suspect you¡¯re not going to enjoy this conversation.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Why not?¡± He looked to her, with what appeared to be sympathy in his eyes. ¡°I spoke to your father,¡± he said, and all at once Lucia felt the emotional hurricane stirring once more. ¡°We don¡¯t talk much anymore,¡± he continued. ¡°He hasn¡¯t been the same since he lost the three of you. I reached out when Arthur told us you were alive, but he wouldn¡¯t even take my call.¡± He reached over to a small table, which he placed between them. There was tea and two cups, and he gestured at the one closer to her while taking a sip from his own. ¡°He took my call today, though. I managed to convey the urgency of it.¡± Lucia ignored the tea, barely able to contain herself. ¡°What did he say? Is he coming here?¡± The Cultivator sighed, and took far too long in answering. ¡°He didn¡¯t believe me, Lucia. He wouldn¡¯t even really listen. He¡¯s absolutely certain the two of you died that night.¡± Lucia didn¡¯t know how to react, but she understood. She was in a similar situation right now, desperately trying to come to terms with the possibility that her father had seemingly come back from the dead. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she said at last. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just go meet him. He might not recognize me over a call, but if Vincent and I go in person¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± the Cultivator said, and she was shocked by the command in his voice. ¡°No?¡± she echoed. ¡°What the hell do you mean ¡®no¡¯?¡± she asked, fury rising up inside her. He turned to look her in the eye. ¡°My brother has always been a dangerous man,¡± he said, and despite the image of a kind, loving man in her head, Lucia realized she believed him. ¡°He¡¯s always been dangerous, but since he lost his family, he¡¯s also become paranoid, and¡­violent. If you showed up at his door, claiming to be his long lost daughter, I think he might¡­¡± he trailed off, turning away. ¡°You think my father might hurt me?¡± Lucia asked incredulously. Dangerous she could accept, but dangerous to her? The Cultivator took another sip of his tea, seemingly to buy himself time. ¡°Right now, my brother is dangerous to everyone. But I know how this sounds. I wish we had a stronger relationship so you¡¯d have any reason to believe all this, but I understand your suspicions, and I don¡¯t expect you to trust me.¡± He sighed, then turned to face her once more. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Gretta. She¡¯s arranged for you to talk with Vincenzo. The two of you can go over it together. I won¡¯t tell you where your father is, because I genuinely believe it would put your life in danger, but I¡¯m also certain that Arthur already knows.¡± ¡°Vincent is awake?¡± she asked with a shock. Only now that she heard he was okay did she realize how scared she¡¯d been. The Cultivator nodded. ¡°A message was waiting for Gretta at one of her dead drops, confirming your brother¡¯s condition. As for you, well there¡¯s no prisoners here Lucia. The next ship leaves in nine days, and you can be on it if you wish. I¡¯m hoping your brother changes your mind though. You should decide together how to handle this.¡± Lucia wasn¡¯t sure if she should believe the man, but having a plan of escape¨Ceven an uncertain one¨Cdid bring her some relief. ¡°Do you really think my father has changed so much?¡± she asked, picturing the man she remembered standing protectively in front of her. Surprisingly, the Cultivator smiled. ¡°Yes and no. I still remember growing up in Brooklyn with your dad. He was exactly the kind of big brother I needed: he kept me safe, but also kicked my ass when I needed it. Like I said, he¡¯s always been a dangerous man, and a driven one at that. When he sees a problem, nothing on this Earth can stand in his way.¡± Lucia considered that, picturing her father in his youth for the first time. ¡°What problem do you think he sees right now?¡± she asked. This time her uncle grinned widely. ¡°Just a little one,¡± he said, ¡°they call themselves the New Global Government.¡± He chuckled to himself as he stood up, and waved for Lucia to stay as he left. A moment later Gretta entered carrying a small gray box, which she placed on Lucia¡¯s lap. ¡°This is expensive, and consumable tech. It can only manage a single, short call, and will cut off automatically when it detects network intrusion. Talk fast.¡± She opened a lid on the box, pressed a single button, then left. Lucia looked down at the screen, feeling more pressure than she¡¯d like for this kind of reunion. As she stared at the ¡®Connecting¡­¡¯ message, she considered that it had been a long, long day. At last the screen flashed, and her brother was there. He looked terrible. His eyes were sunken, with dark circles under them, and he was hunched over in his bed. Still, he was alive. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said by way of greeting. ¡°Are you okay? Arthur said this messaging system is some kind of emergency measure.¡± Lucia smiled, feeling tears gather in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I suppose. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re awake.¡± Vincent opened his mouth to say something, then let out a sigh, and started again. ¡°I¡¯m glad to be back, and I¡¯m sorry for what I put everyone through. I drastically miscalculated. But I doubt this is the emergency, and Arthur insisted this would be brief.¡± Lucia nodded, and steeled herself. ¡°Do you remember our uncle Marco? Because I don¡¯t, but someone claiming to be him is in charge of this place.¡± Vincent¡¯s face registered a mild shock. ¡°I knew of him. I looked into our living relatives a few months ago, but there were no records of him for decades so I let it go. Leadership of compounds is highly confidential, so I suppose it¡¯s possible. Is this the problem? Is the man exploiting you somehow?¡± ¡°No not that. Look, we¡¯re running out of time so I¡¯ll just say it: he says our dad is alive.¡± She braced herself for his reaction, but Vincent just looked away awkwardly. Oh, this son of a bitch, she thought. ¡°You knew!¡± she yelled at the screen, and he sighed again. ¡°I knew,¡± he agreed. ¡°Arthur told me, but he made it clear that it¡¯s not a road we should follow.¡± Lucia was fuming with rage and ready to explode, but Athur saying the same thing that Marco had pushed her mind in another direction. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this more, I promise that, but there¡¯s something you should know.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Mom did something to our dad that night, the night. Maybe even before that. I think¡­I think she changed him. I thought she just made him¨Cit doesn¡¯t matter what I thought. But what Marco told me is nothing like how I remember dad.¡± A warning flashed on the screen: time was almost up. Vincent looked conflicted when he spoke. ¡°Okay, if that¡¯s true, then what?¡± Lucia let out an exasperated breath. Why could he never just react normally? ¡°Then I think I should come home. If Arthur knows where dad is, then we can find him together and¨C¡± ¡°And what?¡± he interrupted with irritation. ¡°You¡¯re still untrained, and our father is¡­he¡¯s exceptionally dangerous, Lucia. Not to mention the plan. Did you already forget why you¡¯re there? You need to get better, and you need to get¨C¡± he caught himself, likely thinking about where she was, and who might be listening. ¡°You need to finish what you started.¡± The warning flashed again; they were out of time. ¡°Is the plan all you care about?¡± she asked, knowing it wasn¡¯t true, but also knowing it closer to true than she wished. ¡°We¡¯re out of time,¡± he said, not looking at the screen. He paused for only a moment before surprising her, ¡°You can always come home, Lucia. Be safe.¡± The screen shut off before she could respond. She leaned back, considering. He was right, as usual, and as much as she hated it. But she did have a mission here, maybe more than one. She needed to master her abilities, and even find the stupid gadget her brother was obsessed with. But more than that, she needed to do something she¡¯d been thinking about since the day she got the powers she hated. Lucia needed to save her brother. She needed to get rid of whatever her mother had done to him. And now she needed to do the same for her father. She was going to save her family. Chapter 35: The Words That Shape Us It was harder than I expected to get to the Watcher. The Emperor¡¯s power emanated from the asteroid like heat. Getting inside was like tunneling my way into the Sun itself. Vincent leaned back against the pillows stacked behind him on the bed, tossing aside the now-useless communication device. He didn¡¯t feel right, and it was far more than just the itchy sheets and tight scars. His recovery was slow, and made worse by the knowledge that his injuries were entirely his fault. Even if the Remnant stone hadn¡¯t exploded, the leader of the Erasers would have surely killed him¨Cpossibly Robert as well. Vincent had made a costly mistake, and he¡¯d made it because he¡¯d lost control of his own emotions. He¡¯d been telling himself how much more cautious, and pragmatic he¡¯d become since his first plan had ended in the deaths of helpless students, and then he ran off to pick fights he couldn¡¯t win. Now he¡¯d put Lucia into a position where she was in unknownable danger, with more variables than Vincent could possibly hope to control. He had to be better than this. ¡°Arthur,¡± he whispered, and the door to his room opened a moment later. ¡°Yes, Mr. Villari?¡± the tall, dark-skinned man replied. He was once again dressed in numerous rich colors, a stark contrast to the abilities he employed in service of the cult. ¡°The head of the London compound claims to be my uncle, Marco Villari.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyebrows raised at that, a rare show of surprise. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that it¡¯s really him?¡± Arthur considered for a moment, pulling out his tablet and quickly scanning through his many secrets. ¡°It¡¯s possible, I believe, especially considering your parent¡¯s influence. I can look into it, of course, but not deeply. You¡¯re aware of how tenuous our connection to the Cult is; actively investigating a Cultivator wouldn¡¯t just sever those ties, it could lead to a violent reprisal.¡± Vincent considered, letting his eyes drift over his room as he did so. How had Lucia made it such a mess? ¡°Do you think my sister is in danger?¡± he asked. Arthur shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s possible, but unlikely. Her identity isn¡¯t disguised, and the other compounds have been made aware of her admission into the Cult. The daughter of Ellen Villari has little to fear within our organization. The reverse is more likely. If something were to happen to her, the head Cultivator¨Cwhether he¡¯s truly your uncle or not¨Cwould likely be¡­¡¯removed¡¯.¡± Vincent nodded, having hoped for that answer. Satisfied, he shifted the topic. ¡°You were there on the night that this compound fell,¡± he began, ¡°and you¡¯ve had years to consider it.¡± Arthur waited patiently in the doorway, knowing a direct question was coming. Vincent continued, ¡°I think I¡¯ve been too dismissive of that event, possibly I¡¯ve even been avoiding it.¡± He turned to look at the Guardian, ¡°That was a mistake, and one we need to rectify. How did they know where we were, Arthur? Did they arrive just in time to stop us, or exactly when they were supposed to?¡± Despite the unvoiced implications, given that Compound security was Arthur¡¯s duty, the man replied readily and showed no indication of being upset. ¡°You¡¯re correct that I¡¯ve considered the matter thoroughly. Unfortunately, my search produced far too many possibilities, rather than too few.¡± He came to stand next to the bed, once again paging through his tablet. ¡°The truth was that this compound was a poorly kept secret. We had numerous Cult members, families, and NTC was far busier in those days. The only anonymity we had was due to Psychic manipulation.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Vincent said, ¡°the timing was highly suspicious. Knowing who lived in this building was one thing, the NGG arriving just in time to prevent a weapon from being used is quite another.¡± Arthur nodded, ¡°I quite agree, Mr. Villari. As such, I gave up on following physical evidence and began following motivations. Who would benefit from the compound being destroyed? Who would benefit from the deaths of your parents?¡± ¡°Who would benefit from the weapon not being fired?¡± Vincent prompted, and Arthur¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°As I¡¯ve told you, I wasn¡¯t made aware of the weapon¡¯s purpose, so I couldn¡¯t factor it into my investigation.¡± He tapped a finger against his chin as he considered. ¡°You¡¯re correct that this is a vital clue, but one I¡¯m not certain we can act on at the moment, not without knowing the device¡¯s true capabilities.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°Agreed. We¡¯re assuming it¡¯s the key to taking down the NGG, and destroying the Watcher, but those are very broad outcomes. A traitor who simply didn¡¯t want to bring down the NGG is very possible, but hardly a clear path to the perpetrator.¡± ¡°Still, I haven¡¯t put enough specific consideration into that line of questioning, Mr. Villari. It¡¯s possible that combining that motivation with other questions could lead to new suspects. I¡¯ll reopen my investigation and look into my notes.¡± ¡°Do so, Arthur, and keep me apprised. By the way, is Robert here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid not. He¡¯s been out almost continuously since Mr. Mackenzie left, and he doesn¡¯t disclose his whereabouts to me,¡± Arthur replied. Vincent sighed, ¡°Truthfully I should still be recovering anyway, but send him to me when you see him next. In the meantime, you¡¯re dismissed. Please inform me of anything you find about my so-called uncle, or any breakthroughs in the investigation about the attack on the compound.¡± Arthur nodded once, then left the room. Vincent hadn¡¯t seen the man much in the two days since he¡¯d woken up from his coma, but the Guardian seemed far more comfortable having resumed his more formal etiquette now that he and Vincent were practically alone. Vincent reached for a drink as he considered the odd quiet of the compound. Both Danny and Lucia had left while he was still recovering, and it was a surprise to realize how much he missed them both. The short, tense conversation with Lucia had made it worse, rather than better, and he could feel long-forgotten emotions creeping in from the edges of his mind. Putting down the drink, he fished out his father¡¯s watch from the bedside table. It was in a drawer next to the Remnant, both of which Robert had apparently gone back to the subway tunnels to retrieve after carrying Vincent home. The large man hadn¡¯t said anything, but Arthur¡¯s brief scouting had revealed that Polvane had survived the explosion. He had not survived Berserker Bob. Vincent stared at the Remnant with suspicion as he carefully shut the drawer. It was unlikely that the mysterious device was going to explode again, but he¡¯d already decided to take precautions before testing it further. Instead, he stared at the watch. Unsurprisingly, it had been damaged in the explosion, though somehow it still worked¨Cdespite the melted and scorched exterior. He spun it on its chain as he let his mind drift back to a day he usually avoided thinking about. That self-indulgence had to end, as his memories might hold some clue to what had happened. Slowly, the painful recollections returned. *** Vincenzo rolled over in bed, unhappy that something had woken him up, but not caring what it was. Grown ups are always making noise, he thought, pulling his covers up and hugging tightly to his stuffed bear. The sound came again, and this time it felt like the whole building shook. Vincenzo sat up in bed, frightened. He hated when they stayed at the compound, something weird always happened. He looked around, but the dim nightlight didn¡¯t reveal anything sinister. The rocking chair was near the foot of his bed, and thankfully unoccupied despite a hundred nightmares making him fear otherwise. The furniture was exactly where it should be, and the heavy curtains blocked the view of the bright city streets. Vincenzo was grumpily laying back down when he heard another sound, and this time he recognized it: it was screams. He felt tears in his eyes, but tried not to let them fall. He was five now, and five year olds didn¡¯t cry. He lost that battle, though, when he heard more sounds, much louder, much closer. Gunfire. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Vincenzo dove off his bed, and scrambled underneath it in a panic. He¡¯d seen enough movies and played enough games to know what gunfire sounded like, and he knew it shouldn¡¯t be happening in the compound. Not in his home. He was crying for real now, pulling the blankets under the bed with him, desperate for any kind of safety. He wanted to call out for his mom, or his dad. They¡¯d make the bad people go away, make the guns stop. But what if the bad people heard him? What if they came first? He had to think. He had to plan. Vincenzo loved plans. His dad had taught him about plans. How to turn something big and impossible into a bunch of little things that he could manage. But he didn¡¯t think that would work now, not against guns, and not without help. Big plans needed people, and he couldn¡¯t get to other people without going into the hallways, and the bad people might be there. Still, Vincenzo lay there, tears flowing down his face, and planning. There was nothing else he could do. Then he heard voices. Deep, angry voices, talking. A door slammed nearby, and Vincenzo pushed himself further back under his bed, shaking. Another door slammed, closer, and this time there was more gunfire right after. Someone screamed. He thought it was a girl. Please don¡¯t hurt my sister, he begged. At last his own door burst open, but the guns didn¡¯t fire right away. ¡°Shit, another kid¡¯s room,¡± a deep, muffled voice said. Vincenzo could see the shadow of a man on his floor, backlit from the bright hallway. ¡°We have our orders, you know what these people are. Shoot first, or they¡¯ll turn your brain inside out,¡± a second voice said. There was a grunt of acknowledgement, then the shadows began moving closer, and Vincenzo held his breath. If I¡¯m quiet enough, they¡¯ll leave, he thought, if I¡¯m brave enough, they¡¯ll go away. The shadows came closer, but halted suddenly. ¡°Say again, Command?¡± the first voice said, then there was a short pause. ¡°What about the dampeners, sir? How¡¯s that possible?¡± The second voice came in a moment later, ¡°She¡¯s heading upstairs? She must be going for the roof. Intel says that¡¯s where the target is deployed.¡± More gunfire came suddenly, and Vincenzo let out a choked squeak. ¡°Did you hear that¨C¡± the first voice said, but was cut off by more voices in the hall. ¡°Backup, backup, we need back¨C¡± there was a strange gurgle, then the sound of footsteps. The two shadows moved away from the bed, and more gunfire sounded in the hallway, and then there was silence. Vincenzo was panting, and biting his blankets to keep from screaming. He rocked gently back and forth, desperate to shut his eyes against the terrors, but too frightened to look away. Finally, he heard a voice. ¡°Vincenzo?¡± his mom¡¯s voice called sweetly. ¡°Vincenzo, it¡¯s okay, you can come out. The bad men can¡¯t hurt you.¡± She knew he was here. She always knew. Still, it took a minute before his body would listen to him, and he slowly crawled out from under the bed. His mother was standing in the doorway, waiting patiently. ¡°We have to go, Vincenzo, come with me,¡± she said, holding out her hand. He raced forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, finally letting himself close his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetheart,¡± she said while running a hand through his hair. ¡°Come, it¡¯s time to go.¡± They walked out into the hallway, and Vincenzo screamed. There were two men right next to his door. They were dressed in black, slumped against the walls, and covered in blood. They were facing each other, and both looked like they¡¯d been shot. Did they shoot each other? he wondered. ¡°Don¡¯t look, sweetheart,¡± came his mother¡¯s gentle voice. ¡°They can¡¯t hurt anyone anymore.¡± Vincenzo leaned against his mother¡¯s leg and looked at the floor as they walked down the hallway. It was hot, strangely hot, and he didn¡¯t understand why, until flames began spreading outward from a doorway ahead of them. He gasped and looked up at his mother, only to see that she was looking up as well, as if staring at the ceiling. ¡°Damn you, Samuel, you jealous bastard¡­¡± Vincenzo didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about, and reached up to pull on her shirt. Didn¡¯t she see the fire? Then the whole world crashed down around them. When he could open his eyes, Vincenzo felt like he¡¯d been sleeping. His body ached, and it was hard to keep his eyes open. It took a minute before he could see clearly, and even then it was only by the flickering light of several small, lingering flames. Not that there was much to see. The hallway wasn¡¯t a hallway anymore. The ceiling had fallen down on them, and the small space he could see was just dust, rubble, and struggling fires. Worse, he was trapped. Not only was he pinned by impossibly heavy and sharp piles of broken ceiling, but something was wrapped around him. Vincenzo was lying on his side, and he managed to wiggle just enough to turn his head. His mom was there, eyes open and locked on his. She was only a few inches away, and she was whispering. It was her arms that were wrapped around him, and he realized she¡¯d used her body to protect him. He tried to call out to her, staring at her green eyes, and trying not to look at her brown hair, caked with blood. But he couldn¡¯t speak, his chest was pinned too tightly and he was gasping for breath. He panicked then, trying to wriggle free, feeling like the entire building was on top of him. He did that for a while, his body barely shifting, as his mind went wild. Finally, a single whisper came through, Listen to me, Vincenzo. His body stilled, and he relaxed, happy to listen to his mother speak. The whispers were quiet, but he knew how important it was that he hear them. He watched her lips move in fascination as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t believe their lies¡­¡± she said, and Vincenzo wondered who she meant. ¡°They¡¯re watching us¡­¡± who? ¡°They¡¯re waiting¡­¡± he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°We¡¯re nothing but slaves¡­¡± the words rolled over him, and his mind began to drift. His mother kept speaking for what felt like hours, and he listened as the fires died down. ¡°The supers are their tools¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ll exterminate us all¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the horrors that await us¡­¡± ¡°The Great Hero betrayed us¡­¡± Sometimes Vincenzo felt like the words almost made sense, as if there were pictures forming in his mind when he heard them. Each time his mother repeated herself, the images were a little clearer. ¡°We have to destroy it¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen them¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see them too¡­¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t do it¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it inside you¡­¡± The words kept coming, and sometimes it was so hypnotic that Vincenzo thought he might fall asleep. He snapped back awake when the words finally changed, and his mother¡¯s tone changed with them. What she said next didn¡¯t feel like it was for him, and her gaze had become strangely distant. ¡°When Gods war in the streets, When the storms rage as never before, When the Gamma burns, When the Watcher gazes down upon its end, Then will the truth of this world be revealed, Then will the Great Hero become the Great Traitor.¡± She let out a long breath after that, and her eyes half closed. Vincenzo was crying, knowing something was wrong. His mother whispered once again. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how this ends¡­It ends in pure chaos, it ends with blood in the streets¡­¡± Another slow breath escaped her. ¡°I think¡­I think they¡¯ve already won¡­¡± Suddenly her eyes snapped into focus, staring right into Vincenzo¡¯s. ¡°We thought we were going to save the world¡­¡± she said, and then she went still. He didn¡¯t know how long he lay there, wrapped in the cold embrace of his mother¡¯s limp and broken arms. He cried at times, panicked at others, but mostly he just stared at her, numb and lost. Vincenzo didn¡¯t realize someone else was there until he felt the weight of the world gently lifted from him, as the rubble was pulled aside. He didn¡¯t recognize the man who looked down at them with sad eyes. His long hair might have been light brown, or even blonde, but it was so filthy that Vincenzo couldn¡¯t tell. He was terribly skinny, which was only too clear as he was shirtless, but wearing an open, long brown coat. He crouched down, and his scraggly beard seemed to split open as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ellie,¡± he said, his voice raspy and dry. ¡°This is all my fault,¡± he shook his head sadly, before reaching down and closing the eyes of Vincenzo¡¯s mother for the last time. Finally he turned and addressed Vincenzo himself. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright, lad. Let me take you to your sister.¡± Vincenzo felt himself being picked up, and tried to fight off the stranger who looked like one of the ¡®beta¡¯ men that sat on the street corners. His father had always told him to stay away from those men, but his arms and legs could barely move. He was just too tired. The man turned and carried Vincenzo through an open door, and in a single moment his mother was gone forever. He shut his eyes as more tears fell, and for a while he wasn¡¯t aware of what was happening. When he opened them again, he saw that they were on the street, and he realized that the man was holding Lucia as well. Suddenly they were both being put down in front of some large building. It was still dark, and Vincenzo had just enough sense left to be scared. He managed to pull himself over to Lucia, and lean against her, but she wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°This is the best I can do,¡± the beta man said sadly. He walked up the short steps to bang loudly on the black door, causing lights to turn on behind barred windows. He turned back, and looked down at Vincenzo and his sister once more. ¡°These people will take care of you,¡± he said. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell them where you came from, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response, just put his hands in his pockets and started walking away. After only a few steps he turned back, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your mother,¡± he said, then resumed walking. Vincent never saw the man again. Chapter 36: No Heroes Nothing could have prepared me for what happened inside the Watcher. I think¡­I think the simple truth of it broke me. It took another week of recovery before Vincent was able to move freely around the compound, and slowly begin training with his body and powers once again. It was another week of just that before he felt confident in resuming his mission in the city. Operation Usurper was falling behind, and Vincent had to admit to himself that he might have overestimated his ability to bring the NTC villains into the fold. Polvane had been a wakeup call. The Erasers were meant to be a lower tier gang, and in terms of their influence that was true. He¡¯d failed to consider, however, that a suitably motivated and selfish leader would be both capable, and willing to monopolize all the Gamma for themself. Encountering a Reactive Level threat, a full rank ahead of himself had been a death sentence. As Vincent slowly buttoned a dark red shirt over the scars on his chest, he promised himself that he¡¯d be more diligent in the future. As he looked into his own mismatched eyes in his room¡¯s mirror, green and brown respectively, he considered that the Crew might be lacking. Throwing the long black coat over his shoulders, he made his way to the central chamber. Unsurprisingly, Arthur was waiting for him at the conference table. Robert¡¯s presence had been less of a given, and Vincent paused to inspect the man. Sitting in the massive, reinforced chair made for a giant of his size, the Berserker was seemingly unchanged. His dark hair was slicked back in the same way, the custom suit was still struggling to contain his enormous, muscled frame, but the scale was off. ¡°Robert, have you gotten taller?¡± Vincent asked. Robert smiled broadly, a rarity. ¡°Another half a foot. It came with my advancement.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise, and he activated his K-Device eagerly. Class: Berserker (Super-strength Variant) Rank: Reactive (A) ¡°You¡¯ve hit Reactive Rank,¡± Vincent said in disbelief. ¡°Just what have you been doing out there?¡± Robert¡¯s blank expression returned. ¡°Cleaning up messes. The territory claimed for Veridicus is notably empty, and the smaller gangs were bound to see that eventually. A few started moving in; I helped them understand what a bad idea that would be.¡± Vincent looked over to Arthur, who clearly wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Were you aware of this?¡± ¡°I would have told you, if I were. I take our arrangement as seriously as you do. I had my suspicions, of course. Mr. Haufman hasn¡¯t been quiet about the examples he¡¯s been making, but I felt it was better to allow him to discuss the matter with you directly, if he was indeed behind all the rumors.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Vincent said, looking back and forth between the two, seemingly stoic men. Neither of them were who they appeared to be on the surface, of course, though what lay beneath was as different as their current demeanor was similar. He let his gaze rest on Robert, ¡°This also gave you a chance to reach a new level of strength. Do you know what it means to be Reactive?¡± ¡°I knew it meant power, but I¡¯ll admit I didn¡¯t expect¡­this.¡± He punctuated the statement by holding up one colossal hand and squeezing a tight fist. It was Arthur who responded, well-versed in the might that Robert was only just discovering. ¡°Each rank represents a new way for your body to process the Watcher¡¯s radiation. Adepts and Basics can funnel that energy into their physical body, reaching beyond human limitations. Initiates are those whose bodies have taken that energy in a new, and novel way, like Mr. Villari¡¯s conjured limbs.¡± ¡°Each rank has its quirks beyond Initiate,¡± Vincent said, picking up the thread, ¡°but they have one thing in common.¡± ¡°Power,¡± Robert said simply, a quiver in his voice. A few green sparks burst from his tightened fist. ¡°Indeed,¡± Arthur said. ¡°Reactive is the first rank in which the Watcher¡¯s power is actually amplified within your body. The ¡®reaction¡¯, as it were, is quite literal. The power reacts within your body, with explosive results.¡± Robert was nodding, as if expecting the explanation. ¡°That makes sense. I feel like I¡¯m vibrating. Like the power wants to be used, wants to burst every time I throw a punch.¡± Arthur chuckled softly. ¡°Just wait, my young friend. They say that those who reach the final rank actually create the energy within them. The power emanates from them like a walking radstorm.¡± Robert finally looked away from his fist at that, mouth falling open slightly at the thought. ¡°You have a century before you need to worry about that,¡± Vincent said, ending the discussion. ¡°We have more immediate concerns, like Dollar Bill, and Veridicus. Arthur?¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve clearly surmised, Dollar Bill has become aware of your absence. The arrangement you made with him to take control of the smaller Villain gangs was contingent on your ability to keep the Gamma flowing.¡± Vincent sighed as he took a seat at the round conference table. ¡°And despite Robert¡¯s efforts, I presume some of the shipments have been intercepted when coming through Veridicus¡¯ territory.¡± ¡°Indeed. The impressive pace of your previous successes also set a certain precedent, one that Dollar Bill feels should be maintained.¡± Vincent drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°That surprises me. The man didn¡¯t seem like the type to expect miracles quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my assessment as well. Despite the proverbial ¡®word on the street¡¯, I suspect his actual concerns come from your unfortunate, and rather public loss to Polvane. Thankfully that problem has been¨C¡± he glanced at Robert, ¡°¨Cdealt with. But Dollar Bill is still in a position where he must choose between backing Veridicus¡¯ fallen champion, or making an example of him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he realizes there¡¯s only one right answer,¡± Robert said, a dangerous look on his face. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment,¡± Vincent replied, ¡°but even if you have reached Reactive rank, Dollar Bill is believed to be the only one in NTC to have ascended even higher. That¡¯s why we went to him in the first place.¡± Robert grunted, before cocking his head to one side curiously. ¡°You said ¡®the only one in the city¡¯, what about Tecnico?¡± Arthur answered, though he looked distracted by his tablet. ¡°Tecnico doesn¡¯t have a rank. He¡¯s one of the Originals, like Legacy. No harness, no rank, no limits¨C¡± ¡°No end to his shitty ideas,¡± Emi said as she walked into the central room, rubbing her wet hair with a towel. ¡°I¡¯d been hoping for an update today, Sato, is this it?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Essentially. I¡¯ve only been at K-Tech for two weeks, so I didn¡¯t expect to have anything to report beyond how terrible the cafeteria is.¡± Arthur¡¯s curiosity was clearly piqued as he put down his tablet. ¡°That you have any kind of information on Tecnico is remarkable. Most reports are that he never leaves the top floors of the Tower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says, but his presence is definitely felt.¡± She flopped into the chair opposite Robert, tossing the towel aside. ¡°A few days ago the low-level techs were all gathered for a staff meeting. Mostly the same nonsense as usual, weekly numbers, incident reports, yada, yada. But then our supervisor brought up ¡®an opportunity of a lifetime¡¯.¡± ¡°Your tone implies this was false advertisement,¡± Arthur pressed. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°So I¡¯ve learned. He said that there was an opening in Tecnico¡¯s private line of inventions. I put my hand up, not really expecting anything. There are forty other Techs in my department alone, and they¡¯re all senior to me.¡± ¡°But you were chosen, somehow?¡± Arthur asked. ¡°Yeah, they could tell I was something special. I just have this air of competence that I can¡¯t hide. Plus mine was the only hand up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Apparently I¡¯m not the first newbie to be pulled in by this particular work detail. It sounds exciting and glamorous. The greatest Tech in the world handing off his most precious designs directly to me, and a chance to see the upper floors. It¡¯s like a dream come true.¡± ¡°But?¡± Vincent prompted. Emi leaned back in her chair, rubbing tired eyes. ¡°¡®But¡¯ just about everything. First of all, I¡¯m in the basement. Why? Because that¡¯s where Tecnico¡¯s trash ends up. Apparently he isn¡¯t so much handing me his brightest new inventions, and he is throwing away old crap. Crap so far removed from anything we¡¯d recognize that it may as well be from another century¨Cand I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the future or the past.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Robert rumbled. ¡°If it¡¯s trash, why do they need you?¡± ¡°Because Tecnico¡¯s worst ideas are still lightyears ahead of what anyone else can do, even the Tech Knights. Some of K-Tech¡¯s best products are actually based on the small parts of his inventions we can figure out. The problem is they can barely be considered ideas. They¡¯re mostly just pieces of stuff that only he could possibly understand¨Clike he¡¯s building a car and tossing out chunks of an engine that aren¡¯t up to spec. I haven¡¯t seen anything that I could connect to a single obvious purpose, and I have to go through dozens each day.¡± Vincent sighed, ¡°This is unfortunate. Your part of the plan was already the one with the fewest advantages. Our best hope was you finding an excuse to get near the top floors, but this is literally sending you in the opposite direction.¡± ¡°It may not be as bad as it seems,¡± Emi said to Vincent¡¯s surprise. ¡®Optimist¡¯ wasn¡¯t a word that would be readily attributed to the Tech. ¡°It¡¯s early days, but some of what I¡¯m seeing is oddly familiar,¡± she gestured to the Prophet¡¯s book resting on the nearby dais, Tecnico¡¯s blueprints still held within. Arthur¡¯s eyebrows lowered, ¡°You can¡¯t be suggesting that he¡¯s rebuilding the weapon?¡± Emi leaned forward, pulling out her own tablet and projecting some completely inscrutable diagrams into the air. ¡°No, nothing that impossibly convenient. But I am noticing patterns. See these? They¡¯re reproductions of what I¡¯ve managed to scan from some of the more esoteric devices I¡¯ve gone through. Notice anything?¡± she asked expectantly. ¡°If we did, we¡¯d be Techs,¡± Robert replied. ¡°Do I look like a Tech?¡± ¡°You look like you ate several Techs, but I take your point. These formulas and diagrams, they all follow the same patterns as the blueprints in the book. I think that Tecnico invented his own ¡®language¡¯ so to speak, and he still uses it to this day.¡± ¡°I take it you¡¯re hoping to learn this language?¡± Vincent said. ¡°Perhaps reproduce Tecnico¡¯s piece of the weapon yourself?¡± Emi burst out laughing. ¡°Dear God no. I¡¯m not Tecnico, and the more I see of his work, the more certain I am that no one else will ever be Tecnico. However, I do have a unique advantage over the other Techs who go over his trash: I have a completed blueprint, written by the man himself to use as reference.¡± ¡°And what will that give us?¡± Vincent prompted. ¡°At the least, it should be enough to help me put the pieces together if we somehow manage to get them. If I have enough time, it might even help me understand exactly what the device does.¡± Vincent stopped himself from asserting that the plan would definitely succeed. Optimism and confidence were important in a leader, but there were still so many risks and unknowns that it would look more like hubris. He stood up, ¡°Very well, I¡¯d consider that excellent progress. Keep working, keep learning, and keep us informed.¡± ¡°Aye aye, Captain Spooky,¡± Emi replied before striding back toward the living quarters. Noticing the other two men staring at him expectantly, Vincent shrugged. ¡°She earned that one. Now, onto other business,¡± he said, moving to the ever-present whiteboard and gesturing at the list of goals. ¡°We know Emi¡¯s status, and we¡¯ll have to be content for now. On to Lucia, have we heard anything since the business with my ¡®Uncle¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± Arthur replied. ¡°She¡¯s active and well, and has been in contact, but not with any updates about the cult. Instead,¡± he projected an exceptionally long list of notes from his tablet, ¡°she¡¯s been writing feedback for Veridicus.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Vincent said, but he didn¡¯t bother trying to read the endlessly scrolling projection. ¡°Is it valuable? Verdicus¡¯ following is enormous, but the tone of the broadcasts hasn¡¯t been ideal.¡± Arthur cleared his throat at that, ¡°I believe your sister used the term ¡®nutbag-conspiracy-peddling-jackass¡¯. Regardless, her feedback should help with that immensely. It focuses on emotional appeals, and shifting the viewership from a passive group, into an active force. We¡¯ll have to be gradual about it, but she accounts for the changes quite effectively.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Vincent prompted. ¡°People have been watching Veridicus behave this way for years.¡± ¡°As your sister puts it, ¡®this is what it looks like when Veridicus readies for war¡¯,¡± Arthur replied. ¡°Hopefully the viewers will be convinced.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°I trust Lucia to know how to get inside peoples¡¯ heads.¡± Robert barked a laugh, ¡°Alright, I admit you¡¯re getting better.¡± ¡°At what?¡± Vincent asked with an eyebrow raised. Robert glanced at Arthur, who shrugged. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°Very well, then onto Operation Glass. Have we heard from Danny?¡± ¡°We have,¡± Arthur confirmed. ¡°Apparently he felt confident enough to finally leave Infinity Headquarters, if only briefly. He made a recording and left it at one of my dead drops.¡± Once again Arthur fiddled with his tablet, and this time a projection of Danny appeared, looking only slightly awkward in a navy blue tracksuit. ¡°Hey guys!¡± the projection of Danny said, sounding cheerful even if he was continuously glancing around himself with obvious paranoia. ¡°So uh, things are going¡­mixed? Mixed. I made it to Infinity Tower with a few bumps along the way, but I Mimicked Legacy¡¯s powers and got admitted into the program. Those are very much the high points, I think.¡± He paused for a moment, ¡°Actually, the food is also a high point. Oh! And Legacy likes me! That¡¯s definitely in the old ¡®pros¡¯ column. He¡¯s even started giving me private lessons. I¡¯m trying not to rush things, but he¡¯s totally nice, and seems like he won¡¯t mind me asking weird questions.¡± Another, longer pause, as Danny seemed to be glaring at something unseen to one side. ¡°Right, so, uh, low points. Legacy is apparently something called a ¡®Power Shaper¡¯, which means that¡¯s what I¡¯m pretending to be too. Oh and Emi¡¯s scrambler thingie wasn¡¯t necessary after all; apparently Power Shaper is so restricted it doesn¡¯t show up on K-Devices.¡± Vincent narrowed his eyes, he knew what Danny sounded like when he was stalling. ¡°So, I guess that¡¯s another pro? But I¡¯m on the cons now¡­Look, Legacy¡¯s powers are nuts, man, okay? I don¡¯t think most people know a shred of what that dude must really be capable of. I can only Mimic a fraction of what he has, and I spend most of my time trying to not kill everyone. Seriously, like, everyone.¡± ¡°There¡¯ve been a couple of training accidents, which people were pretty cool about. But when Legacy tried to teach me to do something more than just blast energy around¡­well, I may have carved a tunnel six floors down into the building? It wasn¡¯t my fault, Vince!¡± Danny ran his hands through his brown hair. ¡°This power is nuts, dude. No one should be able to do that kinda stuff by accident. Legacy smoothed things over, and a Mender managed to reattach that one guy¡¯s arm like, basically right away, but it¡¯s been rough.¡± He let out a long breath, then slowed down. ¡°Part of me is worried they¡¯ll kick me out, and another part is worried the NGG will find a way to have me killed. I¡¯m not sleeping great. But look, I¡¯m doing it, okay? I¡¯m gonna keep working hard, and I am going to earn my place on Young Infinity.¡± Danny looked back off camera again, then spoke in a whisper. ¡°Okay, shady dudes approaching, I gotta go. I¡¯ll check for messages in a few days. Miss you guys!¡± With that, the feed cut off, and Vincent covered his eyes with a weary hand for a long moment. ¡°Arthur, I¡¯d like to record a response. Are you ready?¡± The man nodded instantly, no doubt expecting this, and he adjusted the camera on his tablet. Vincent glared for a long moment as he collected himself. ¡°Danny, we¡¯re all very happy to see that you¡¯re alright, and that you managed to infiltrate Infinity Tower. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re struggling with Legacy¡¯s power, but maybe that¡¯s for the best if it¡¯s keeping his attention on you. I would like to remind you of something you seem to have forgotten, however.¡± Vincent leaned forward, both fists resting knuckles down on the table. ¡°You are not actually there to join Young Infinity. This is a mission, Danny, this is the plan. I need you to focus, and remember who you really are, and what you¡¯re fighting for.¡± ¡°You are not training to be a Hero, Danny. There are no heroes.¡± Chapter 37: Dollar Bill I told myself that I was supremely confident when I left the Watcher. I¡¯d saved the world and annihilated the monsters who¡¯d invaded my home. What challenge was possibly beyond me? Vincent considered the best course of action as he walked through what was once the Financial District, now the uncontested territory of Dollar Bill. He enjoyed the feeling of smallness that came with being surrounded by the enormous buildings rising up to either side of him, sunlight reflecting off the endless walls of glass. Broadway had supposedly been restored to its pre-Invasion glory, but Vincent thought only of the imposing feeling of a sky nearly lost to the towering buildings. The road was in better shape than most in NTC, but there were no cars, so he and Robert could walk down its center. While some parts of the city were fairly populated, DB territory was as dangerous as it came, and the streets gave the appearance of being deserted. As the pair walked purposefully toward their goal, Vincent continually felt like he was being watched, and he¡¯d often spot a shadow disappearing into the ruined subway stations, or ducking away from the countless windows. Dollar Bill¡¯s base was across from an ancient building called Trinity Church, which had been miraculously spared from the Invasion. Religion still existed, of course, and people did occasionally brave the pilgrimage to the old temple, but an alien invasion followed by the appearance of people with god-like powers had pushed it to the periphery of society in many places. Besides, NGG didn¡¯t like anything that drew worship away from their own empire. Vincent could see the Church now, its steeple rising up defiantly in the sea of skyscrapers. It was dwarfed by so many of the buildings in this part of the city, but stood out for its unique, ancient architecture. Nothing was so much a contrast as K-Tower, which stood near the water on the other side of the district, barely visible through the light fog of the endless radstorm. Its mix of human and Invader technology, glass, black walls, and the eerie green of Gamma pumping through the twisting pipes made it look like the future warring with the past when viewed alongside the church. Emi would be there now, having taken the K-Tech shuttle to work, rather than walking through gang territory with Vincent and Robert. Those shuttles were so reinforced that they looked like enormous gray bullets speeding through the streets, and the gangs had learned the hard way how much defensive K-Tech was housed inside. Emi had commented that the shuttles could drive through a warzone and arrive on time, and intact. Finally they arrived at the relatively plain building that the Dollar Bills had chosen as their headquarters. It was tall, and gray, like so many of the structures nearby, and Vincent suspected the wily Villain had chosen this particular location specifically to avoid drawing attention. Ostensibly the NGG was always hunting the Villains, and most made it relatively easy as they tried to create their own opulent little Kingdoms. Dollar Bill was older, and more cunning, and he¡¯d survived as long he had by avoiding the foolishness and pitfalls of lesser Villains. As they neared the unremarkable black doors, the pair halted, knowing the routine after several visits. While they waited, Vincent checked the time on his father¡¯s watch against the old, frozen clocks on the church, wondering if there had been a significant moment when they¡¯d stopped. Did the old house of worship forever mark the moment the Invasion had reached New York City, or was he giving in to a rare moment of emotional indulgence? After only a few minutes, movement began from all around them, and the truth of the facade was revealed. The sour air was kicked up as dozens of Dollar Bill¡¯s henchmen appeared seemingly from nowhere and everywhere all at once. Once again minimalism was key as each one could have passed for a harmless citizen were it not for the circumstances. Here though, a green band was visible around the upper left arm of each person¨Cgreen like old money, Vincent had learned. His ocular KD confirmed that these people were anything but civilians, of course. Most of the city¡¯s gangs were made up of Basics, the dead end rank being the fate for more than three quarters of all potential supers, many of whom struggled to feed their Gamma addictions after leaving the Farms. The Dollar Bills were different, however, as more than half of the dangerous people surrounding them were Initiate rank, and a familiar Reactive rank woman had inserted herself between Vincent and the entrance. ¡°Maria,¡± Vincent said in greeting. The tall woman nodded down at him, her short, spikey blond hair and strong jaw giving her an androgynous appearance. ¡°Dollar Bill is expecting you,¡± she said, her slight southern drawl making ¡®dollar¡¯ sound more like ¡®dollah¡¯. Vincent nodded in return, not surprised. He hadn¡¯t announced that he was coming, or even that he¡¯d recovered enough to do so, but he suspected the Villain¡¯s spies would have warned him the second Vincent started walking the streets again. ¡°We have much to discuss,¡± he said. ¡°Your muscle stays out here,¡± Maria replied with a gesture to the towering Berserker. ¡°Sure,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°If you can keep him here, you¡¯re welcome to.¡± A menacing growl rumbled from within Robert¡¯s immense chest, and several of the gang members took involuntary steps back. Maria smiled, however. ¡°Your public embarrassment hasn¡¯t taught you any lessons, has it?¡± she asked, but she also moved aside to create a path to the door. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t like what it taught me,¡± Vincent said quietly as he strode past her, his looming bodyguard only a step behind. As they walked through a nondescript lobby and entered an elevator occupied by four armed guards, Vincent reflected that Arthur¡¯s intel had once again proved its value. Maria respected shows of strength, whatever she might claim, and likely would have killed him outright if she truly thought he¡¯d been cowed by his injuries and recent loss. Unfortunately, Arthur had found far less information on Dollar Bill himself. The man valued his privacy to the extreme, and few outside his own gang had seen him and lived. Vincent would have to rely on his own ability to read people, which was unfortunate. The elevator lurched as Robert stepped on, and he made a show of making direct, aggressive eye contact with each of the armed men. Maria squeezed in last and pressed the button for the eighth floor, interestingly a different one from Vincent¡¯s last meeting with the gang leader. Speakers let out some brief, screeching static that had once been music, and then the doors were opening again. They followed Maria down a wide, dark hallway, with only a few of the lights still working. They passed into a larger office area, where several more gang members were lounging around, playing cards with weapons nearby. At last they came to an office against the corner of the building where sunlight streamed through the windows, and Maria held the door for Vincent. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. This time, not only did she not object to Robert accompanying him, but she didn¡¯t even bother entering herself. It was an important gesture that Vincent didn¡¯t miss: Dollar Bill didn¡¯t require any real protection. The pair walked it, and Robert immediately moved to the side and crossed his massive arms. The office was as plain as the building. A few empty shelves, a single desk, and some old pictures hanging on the wall. Vincent¡¯s eyes were drawn to the single object this new office had in common with the one he¡¯d seen on his last visit. A single American dollar was framed, and sitting on the desk. Specks of blood had dried on one side, and Vincent noted that once again it was facing away from its owner. Dollar Bill himself was in a comfortable chair, facing the floor to ceiling window. There was another possibility for why the man chose a plain building and an even more plain office, as Dollar Bill himself was all the decoration anyone could ever ask for. That fact was undeniable as the man turned in his chair, revealing a body made entirely of sparkling gemstones. Dollar bill was wearing a gray business suit, all the better for showing off his diamond skin with its slashes of ruby and sapphire. The patterns were so distinctive that Vincent wondered if the Villain created them himself, especially as the slashes and highlights appeared slightly different from their first meeting. A KD blocker was preventing his class and other information from being shown, but Vincent could feel the man¡¯s power. ¡°Young Master Villari,¡± he said in a pleasant, salesman¡¯s voice. ¡°Please, won¡¯t you sit? Business should be comfortable when possible.¡± Vincent sat in one of the two brown chairs in front of the desk, then waited, looking into the surprisingly human eyes set in the glittering, hairless face. ¡°Do you understand the problem we have, Master Villari?¡± Dollar Bill asked after a long, tense moment. ¡°Our arrangement was predicated, not only my ability to control and dominate the smaller gangs, but also the reputation that I, and my benefactor have been building by doing so.¡± ¡°That is part of the problem, Master Villari, but not all, and certainly not what concerns me.¡± Vincent nodded, noticing the use of ¡®Master¡¯ as a way of drawing attention to his youth¨Cthe gang leader was playing power games. ¡°The other part of the problem is that I¡¯m operating with your approval, Mr. Williams, and my actions reflect on you.¡± Dollar Bill¡¯s calm and superior expression broke for just an instant at hearing his real name. Arthur¡¯s current intel on the man might be minimal, but Peter Williams had been a registered adept once. Vincent could play games too. ¡°Indeed,¡± he said, his salesman¡¯s tone slipping slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve been going around NTC saying that Dollar Bill endorses your actions, and now your reputation affects my own. Worse, some people think you¡¯re my personal agent, as that fool Veridicus is hard to believe as a real power and not just a madman with a camera.¡± If only he knew, Vincent thought. ¡°Which is why I¡¯ve come here before resuming my efforts. We had an arrangement, and I acknowledge I¡¯m the one who put it in jeopardy. I believe that our arrangement still benefits us both, but I understand that you may be reconsidering.¡± ¡°Reconsidering?¡± Dollar Bill echoed, before standing up and turning to look out the window, as if lost in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the scope of the trouble you¡¯ve caused, Villari. Those same gangs you gathered behind Veridicus are now ready to be united against me. They¡¯ll lose, of course, but open war in NTC is not something that will be tolerated.¡± Vincent noticed the man was staring toward the water when he spoke, maybe even at K-Tower. ¡°So how can I make this right?¡± Dollar bill turned back, a smile on his unusual face. ¡°That is certainly the question, isn¡¯t it? Well, you have two options. The first is what your large friend is waiting for: I kill you both, showing him how futile it is to punch diamonds.¡± ¡°I¡¯d throw you in the bay,¡± Berserker Bob said without hesitation, not even uncrossing his arms. Dollar Bill looked surprised at that, and even glanced back at the water, appearing somewhat conflicted. Robert grinned wickedly at the reaction. ¡°Hopefully we won¡¯t need to test that particular tactic,¡± the Villain said. ¡°I think we¡¯d both prefer an alternative where you can resume your efforts, Villari, and continue as before.¡± Vincent nodded, confident he knew what the man wanted, but now how he planned to get it. ¡°We need to repair the damage to our reputations,¡± he said. ¡°I have some suggestions¨C¡± ¡°That I¡¯m sure are as brilliant as they are safe, and not good enough. First of all, I need to be the one in charge of this little endeavor; the other gangs need to see that this comes from me, so the message is clear. Second, this little bit of theater must be a genuine challenge to you, enough so that the masses are suitably afraid of you, and respectful of my agents in the future.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyebrows rose, seeing where this was going, which was precisely the opposite to his promise to himself to be more prepared and better informed going forward. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Pit,¡± he said. ¡°I am talking about the pit,¡± Dollar Bill confirmed, his salesman¡¯s voice and smile back as he reasserted control over the encounter. ¡°I have some awareness of what you¡¯re capable of, and the fact that a Reactive ranked Berserker follows your lead is more telling than I think you realize.¡± He shifted his gaze to Bob. ¡°Did you know that in all my years I¡¯ve only seen one other of your kind that hadn¡¯t been put down by the NGG? He tore through the city like a force of nature. It was remarkable.¡± Vincent turned to look at Robert, recognizing the threat in his friend¡¯s gaze. ¡°So the pit,¡± he prompted quickly, hoping to change the subject. Dollar Bill nodded, seemingly unconcerned by the living monument of rage fuming in the corner. ¡°As I was saying, I may know what you¡¯re capable of, but the rest of the gangs do not. The ones you¡¯ve already dealt with are in no hurry to explain how you did so, and the Berserker receives most of the credit. You need a reputation of your own.¡± ¡°So how would it work?¡± ¡°Likely how you¡¯d imagine it, if you¡¯re familiar with the Pit. You¡¯ll face a series of opponents from the other gangs, and you¡¯ll kill them, or they¡¯ll kill you.¡± Bob finally uncrossed his arms then, moving away from the wall. Dollar Bill raised his hands in a warding gesture. ¡°Relax, my large friend. I have full confidence in Master Villari, and I¡¯m not without influence in this arrangement, myself.¡± Bob glanced at Vincent, who didn¡¯t call him off immediately. ¡°How much influence? I¡¯m confident in my skills, but I can¡¯t hide that I¡¯m still an initiate.¡± Dollar Bill tapped a finger against his lips, causing the sound of two small stones colliding to fill the room. ¡°Most of the gangs in question won¡¯t be willing to lose anyone beyond Initiate¨Ctoo much of a wasted Gamma investment. Just to be safe though, I¡¯ll make sure that no one beyond the lower end of Reactive can be chosen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still a significant power gap,¡± Vincent said, considering. ¡°It must be. That¡¯s the point,¡± the gang leader replied. ¡°I can be seen to protect a favored agent, but not one too weak to have earned my favor.¡± Vincent sighed, knowing the man was right. His mind raced as he weighed the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal. They needed the gangs under the banner of Veridicus, and more than that, they needed to be in Dollar Bill¡¯s good graces for other parts of the plan. A series of fights against unknown opponents, however, was exactly the kind of risk he shouldn¡¯t be taking. There would be no Bob or explosive Remnant to save him this time, and no intel to help him adjust his tactics ahead of time. Just unknown dangers, threatening to undo everything he¡¯d worked for. Still, the alternative was seeing if Bob could really throw Dollar Bill all the way to the bay, and giving up on the plan regardless. There really wasn¡¯t a choice at all. ¡°Then we go to the Pit,¡± he said, finality in his voice. Chapter 38: The Good Guy When I came home, the world called me a Hero. The Great Hero, even. But I never felt like one. I was just the person with the power, and my choices led to the deaths of millions. There was a slight chance that Vincent had miscalculated. He was standing in the center of the Pit, essentially an arena created in the ruins of the old subway tunnels beneath the city. He could just barely see the several hundred spectators in the stands, given that the fighting area was literally a pit some super had blasted into the ground, and he was easily twenty feet below the viewing area. More than that, bright lights were shining down on him from every angle, making sure that everyone had a clear view of the upcoming excitement. Had it really only been an hour since they¡¯d been in Dollar Bill¡¯s office? Vincent didn¡¯t believe it was simply coincidence that the stands were already full, and the fact that a half-dozen of the most dangerous gangs in NTC were present only reinforced the likelihood that this was always the expected outcome. Perhaps if he¡¯d refused, Dollar Bill himself might have dragged him down here for this spectacle. The only way this turnout was possible was if they¡¯d coordinated ahead of time, after all. Vincent sighed, and tried to focus on what was coming next. It was warm underground, the humid air reeking of the ancient sewers and more recent blood. He made a show of moving to one of the arena walls, his shoes sinking into the thin layer of sand that had been brought down here to cover the floor. Quite the undertaking, given the arena was as large as the footprint of many of the buildings in this part of town. Vincent casually removed his dark overcoat, leaving his father¡¯s watch in one of the pockets, then hung it on one of the countless rusted spikes protruding from the walls. The jeering and taunts from the stands were deafening as he made his slow way back to the center of the arena, carefully undoing the buttons at his cuffs, and rolling up the sleeves on his red dress shirt as he walked. He stopped and looked around, trying to focus his hearing so the crowd became white background noise, but it wasn¡¯t easy as so many of those gathered seemed to know him. ¡°You¡¯re a dead man, Villari!¡± came a call from a group to his right, dressed in camouflage clothing. The Rangers were a gang apparently named after an old sports team, but they¡¯d adopted the military aspect of the title as well. Vincent hadn¡¯t approached the group directly yet, but he and Robert had disrupted the operations of several gangs connected to them, denying their normal Gamma tributes. Vincent¡¯s jaw clenched as he considered his friend. Robert would have been remarkably at home in this arena, but Dollar Bill hadn¡¯t trusted him to stay back with Vincent in danger. The Berserker was currently waiting for him on the streets above. Robert had wisely insisted on a hostage before agreeing to stay behind, meaning Maria¨CDollar Bill¡¯s top lieutenant¨Cwas with him now, likely wondering if the giant had been serious when he claimed he would ¡®crush her bones to dust¡¯ if Dollar Bill betrayed them. Of course, Robert was always serious when it came to threats. ¡°When they¡¯re done with you, we¡¯re gonna burn your body to ash!¡± another voice called, and Vincent had to turn around to see that the Ember Gang was in attendance. Interestingly, Ember himself was barely visible through the glare of the lights, but staying silent. Apparently the lessons he¡¯s learned when facing Vincent last time hadn¡¯t quite been forgotten. Vincent turned back to the ¡®owners box¡¯ near the arena¡¯s main entrance. The brown walls, partly wood, partly old brick and concrete, ended abruptly where a surprisingly white and clean platform rose above the rest of the crowd. There he could see Dollar Bill, his skin reflecting the light like a living treasure trove, as he discussed the details of the upcoming bouts. Vincent didn¡¯t know the names of the other men and women with him, but from their dress he could tell it was the leaders of several other gangs. Camo indicated the woman in charge of the Rangers, while blue and orange distinguished the leader of the Knicks. The rest were harder to identify individually, but they all seemed to be arguing enthusiastically for the joy of claiming Vincent¡¯s head. ¡°Veridicus can¡¯t protect you this time, Villari!¡± another voice called, but Vincent¡¯s mind was growing increasingly focused as he prepared. Arthur had picked up where the limited training from the Farm had left off, and that included a number of concentration techniques for moments like this. Fights between supers, especially large groups of them, were like stimulus bombs. Flashy, distracting powers were everywhere, and if your senses were unprepared, your fight would be over quickly. That was only the beginning of Arthur¡¯s teachings, however, and Vincent expected to rely on the martial techniques as much as the mental to survive this day. Bringing up his own class abilities, he cursed that this fight couldn¡¯t have come just a day or two later. Name: Vincent Villari Class: Specter [Restricted] Rank: Initiate 4 [98%] Primary Attribute: Intellect Unlocked Abilities: Phantasm (Rank 6) Physicality: Mind: Once again surviving a near-death experience had allowed his endurance to take a large step forward, but Vincent simply hadn¡¯t had the time for improvement that he needed since sustaining his injuries. He thought about Robert having left Initiate rank behind with some envy, and lamented that everyone in the crew was farther ahead with their powers than he was. Individual strength wasn¡¯t core to Vincent¡¯s plans, but for moments like this, it was essential. Finally something happened, as a static-laden screech filled the arena, and the crowd begrudgingly quieted. Dollar Bill was at the front of the owner¡¯s box now, holding a polished silver microphone of ancient design. ¡°Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Pit!¡± he called out, and his voice echoed through hidden speakers around the arena. A burst of cheering and applause answered him. ¡°We¡¯re here for a special match today, which I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all very excited to witness,¡± his salesman¡¯s voice was now more showman, and the crowd was barely containing their excitement. ¡°We built this hallowed hall to solve our differences in an ancient way. We all know who the true enemy is, and we can¡¯t allow ourselves to be weakened enough to invite the NGG to our door!¡± More screams of agreement, and hundreds of feet stomped rapidly and with inhuman strength, the vibration stirring the sand at Vincent¡¯s feet. ¡°And so we settle things with spectacle and dignity! We settle them with blood, and with victory!¡± More cheers, and Vincent found himself getting caught up in the energy and fervor of the moment. ¡°This man,¡± Dollar Bill said, pointing an accusing finger down at Vincent, ¡°has been sent here to disrupt our order. Such is the way of things, and the inevitability of change, that he has been allowed to do so. But not without consequence! Vincent Villari is the agent of the Puppet Master, the one who calls himself Veridicus, and he has wronged many of you!¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Puppet Master? Vincent thought. He hadn¡¯t heard that description before, and he wondered what reputation Veridicus may have earned in the Villainous underground. ¡°Now he will face those he has hurt, and live or die by the strength the Gamma has given him! Three rounds he must survive, three rounds he must be tested!¡± More stomping followed the man¡¯s words, and Vincent felt adrenaline rushing through his body in anticipation. ¡°Your leaders have chosen their champions for the greatest of spectacle, and they cannot be held back any longer. It is time, my friends, for the trials of the Pit!¡± The screaming was so loud then that Vincent thought his ears might burst, but he quickly put the pain aside to focus on the massive iron door rising beneath the owners box, and the six who charged out, murder in their eyes. It had begun. Vincent had a plan. He always had a plan. Turning his right hip toward the charging gang members and adjusting his weight, he considered that the caliber of those plans might be varying more than he¡¯d like. Still, he¡¯d been in worse situations, and part of him¨Ca small part¨Cconsidered the pain he was about to experience to be a fair price for what he¡¯d done, and what he knew he would do. His KD flickered over his opponents, just long enough to confirm they were all Basics, as expected. Four men and two women, from a mix of gangs and colors, and certainly none intended to be a real threat. This was a test of his powers, and these were the sacrifices. Time to disrupt the narrative. The first to arrive was a large man, a head taller than Vincent, with shoulders twice as wide. He was bald, with dark skin, but incongruously blue eyes. The man clearly hoped to overwhelm Vincent with speed and rage, maybe even take him down before the man¡¯s lack of powers could become a deciding factor. But who needs powers against Basics? Vincent spun, his back leg sweeping up, heel forward. The man¡¯s momentum met with that of the spin, and his blue eyes widened as Vincent¡¯s versatile dress shoe obliterated most of his facial bones. There was enough force behind the strike that the rest of the man¡¯s body continued forward, and Vincent had to push off with the same foot to avoid colliding with the man¡¯s heavy limp form. He landed a few feet back, returning to a neutral stance as Arthur had taught him. One down, five to go, all of which had slowed down to look at the fallen body that had been felled like a tree with a single strike. Vincent¡¯s face was impassive as he noticed the group exchanging looks. They were clearly used to dealing with other Basics, whose strength and speed were a reflection of their appearance. Vincent was more than that. Vincent was a Specter. He¡¯d likely reached his maximum height at five foot nine, and he weighed barely a hundred and fifty pounds, but his body was saturated with power in a way these Basics would never experience. He became aware of the crowd booing as the fighters remained frozen, the single death not coming close to satiating their bloodlust. Vincent obliged, choosing to see this as an opportunity to test the limits of his enhanced strength and speed. The five reacted by trying to group together, refusing to be isolated and killed, but that suited Vincent, and in a moment, he was among them. The fight seemed to happen in flashes, as Vincent used his size and speed to his advantage, moving between attacks, and taking advantage of every opening. Each of his attackers was burned into his memory in a different way. One of the two women wore a heart-shaped locket. One of the men had a scar from his right ear to his nose, another was missing two fingers on his left hand. Vincent¡¯s mind absently recorded these details as he went about his precise work. Vincent went low, delivering an elbow to the stomach of a man wearing all red. From there he planted a hand on the ground to brace himself for a backward kick, the crack of a knee bending sideways announcing the strike¡¯s success. He rolled forward from the momentum, nearly cartwheeling back into a standing position. A smaller body leaped onto him from behind as he did so, and the fight grew more interesting. Of the five remaining, one was struggling to stand, gripping his abdomen, as a second was writhing on the ground, gripping his ruined knee. Vincent turned and saw Locket charging at him, while Scar leaped a dozen feet into the air, leg extended for a deadly kick. The remaining man was in blue, and he appeared to have lost his footing, falling behind the others as he fell in the slick sand. That meant it had to be the second woman on Vincent¡¯s back, which became clear when one arm circled his neck, while the other began scratching at his eyes. Her nails were long, and sharpened, but it was the numerous golden rings which caught Vincent¡¯s attention. He ignored the pressure on his throat, grabbing the other hand to hastily protect his eyes. At the same time, he shifted both of their weight, and braced himself as solidly as he could on the poor footing. Scar was unable to arrest his aerial momentum as he soared toward them, and Rings screamed and coughed blood over Vincent¡¯s shoulder as the man crashed into her back, crushing her between them. Vincent fell to one knee from the impact, but judging by the crunch of bones and gurgling wheeze in his ear, there were now only four threats remaining. He grabbed Ring¡¯s now limp arm with his other hand and spun rapidly, the woman¡¯s broken body whirling around him like a human flail as he turned to face Scar, still picking himself off the ground. The man¡¯s eyes widened in shock and horror as Ring¡¯s body crashed into him with a sickening wet sound. Vincent quickly turned his attention to Locket and Blue, who were both charging him from opposite directions. He decided to indulge his curiosity after seeing Scar soaring through the air, and after bending his knees briefly, Vincent sprung forward. He didn¡¯t go for height, as he felt the arcing nature of Scar¡¯s attack had been part of what made it so easy to counter. Instead, he flew almost directly parallel to the ground, knee raised to strike. Blue surprised him, however. As if trying to make up for the embarrassing way he¡¯d slipped earlier, the man moved like liquid, deftly dodging the attack. Vincent slid to a halt, sand blasting outward from his landing like a small explosion. He turned just in time to meet Blue¡¯s counterattack, fists striking furiously, and with deadly purpose. The man was wearing a mask, but his brown eyes looked furious, and he moved like he was possessed. Vincent was quickly confronted with the unfortunate truth that the man was more skilled than he was. Strikes seemed to come from all angles, and while Vincent needed his full concentration to keep up, he also had to be aware that Scar, Locket and Red had to be moving in on him. Accepting how increasingly unlikely it was that he would get through this untouched as a real specter, Vincent changed tactics. The next time Blue maneuvered him into position for a powerful haymaker, Vincent moved toward the attack instead of away, angling his head downward so the man¡¯s hand crashed into his forehead. The enhanced endurance earned through numerous beatings and explosions made itself known as the man¡¯s bones splintered and cracked as if he¡¯d struck a solid wall. Vincent didn¡¯t come away from the exchange unscathed. He could feel blood trickling from his forehead, but Blue was far worse off. Falling backward and screaming, the crushed and mangled remains of his right hand cradled in his left, he was no longer the threat he had been. Vincent made sure the man was no further threat at all with a swift kick to the throat. As Blue collapsed, gasping for air in vain, the remaining three moved in. Scar was drenched in blood from being struck by the crushed body of the woman in rings, and he was the first of the final three to fall, his confidence already shattered. Vincent moved to him rapidly, and attacked relentlessly as the crowd cheered for more and more violence, and in moments Scar was another unmoving form on the arena floor. Two left. Locket and Red managed a surprisingly coordinated assault only seconds later, and Vincent found himself retreating. Red swung high. Vincent dodged low. Locket kicked for his exposed face. Vincent blocked with both forearms. Red used the opening to drop an elbow on Vincent¡¯s exposed back. Vincent exploded upward, the pain like fuel in his veins. An uppercut caught the woman in the jaw, and her locket seemed to crack open in slow motion, revealing a ragged picture of a young girl. One. Vincent blocked another strike from the man in red, but the fight was already over. A few more exchanges and Vincent was inside the man¡¯s guard, a right cross pistoning into his face. Two more strikes to the torso actually kept the man upright even as his body failed him. At last he was allowed to collapse in a heap, out of the fight. Zero. The crowd was erupting in cheers and boos in equal measure, and Vincent turned slowly to survey them. He noted Dollar Bill smiling, the gems reflecting the light and satisfaction both. Vincent noticed the man whose knee he¡¯d destroyed slowly dragging himself across the arena, and sighed as he walked, fixing his now torn and untucked red dress shirt as he did so. Dollar Bill¡¯s static voice was already echoing through the arena. ¡°Apparently this little warmup wasn¡¯t worthy of Master Villari¡¯s powers!¡± The crowd booed in unison. ¡°We¡¯ll have to see if we can raise the stakes for round two!¡± Cheers replaced the boos instantly, but Vincent wasn¡¯t listening. He was looking down at the man who¡¯d stopped trying to escape. ¡°Please, I¡¯m sorry! Please let me go! Please, please, please¡­¡± The man just kept repeating himself as Vincent stared impassively, taking in the ragged appearance of the broken Basic. His colors suggested he might have been an Ember, the orange, black, and red being iconic for the gang. A swift kick was all it took to end the man¡¯s begging. Vincent kept staring, even as he heard the iron gate opening once more. A single thought managed to fight through the haze of adrenaline and the surreal detachment of the situation. Am I still the good guy? Chapter 39: Underdog I can¡¯t admit the truth here. I needed to write down these thoughts, for them to exist outside my mind, but they¡¯re too dangerous if even half of my fears are realized. This is all I can ever say. I¡¯m sorry. Vincent pried his gaze from the man he¡¯d just killed to assess the new threat. Surprisingly, the massive iron gate opened to reveal only a single person. Striding forward lazily was a lanky man dressed in a remarkably ostentation yellow suit. It looked uncomfortably tight, and covered every part of him except for his face, which was split by a massive grin. He was also wearing what looked like welder¡¯s goggles, though Vincent couldn¡¯t be sure. The man paused his advance and raised his arms out, spinning slowly in place to bask in the adulation of the crowd. Dollar Bill¡¯s voice echoed through the arena once again, ¡°Now that the warm-up is complete, it¡¯s time for the real excitement to begin! Allow me to present the mighty Current! Don¡¯t let his colors fool you, he¡¯s actually the chief enforcer for the Knicks! Too many of you have learned that the hard way over the years.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed as his KD scanned the man. Class: Blocked Rank: Initiate (B) ¡®Current¡¯ seemed completely absorbed by the crowd¡¯s attention, and despite wearing a KD-blocker, he even went so far as to reveal the nature of his powers as Vincent watched him, calculating. Bursts of electricity danced across his fingers, and ran across the surface of his yellow suit to the delight of the spectators. Vincent could never understand these supers. Why name yourself after your powers? Why reveal what you¡¯re capable of before a fight even begins? Had the man used a neutral name, he could have gotten close and surprised Vincent, but now he was already a step behind. Without waiting for the man to decide the fight had started, Vincent moved to the arena wall. He¡¯d already gotten close after chasing down the man with the ruined knee, and refused to waste the opportunity it provided. Electricity was a dangerous power, and one that Vincent hadn¡¯t tested his own abilities against. When he reached a section of wall that was newer concrete rather than ancient stone, Vincent reached out with his powers, four spectral arms extending. There was no chance Current didn¡¯t know what he was up against, so there was no point hiding it now. Two hands rapidly went to work prying the iron spikes from the wall, while the other two became incorporeal and reached inside. It was an unusual sensation to feel around inside solid objects, but it was something Vincent had practiced even back on the Farm. Soon he found what he wanted, and he was grateful for the cacophonous roar of the crowd as he ripped several lengths of steel rebar from the wall. Despite some of the spectators actually pointing at Vincent and yelling, Current was only just ending his light show, and finally turning on his opponent. Too late. The handfuls of iron spikes were thrown first, both to confuse the foolish super, and distract him. The man¡¯s reflexes were admirable as he threw bolts of electricity at the deadly projectiles, but there were too many to deflect, and the power arced between them. Current had to resort to crouching and covering his face with his arms as several of the now glowing hot chunks of jagged metal crashed into him. They did little damage, however, and the man almost immediately stormed back upward, lightning gathering in his hands. He had just enough time to notice the half-dozen lengths of rebar flying toward him before he was speared like a fish. The crowd let out a collective groan as the man was impaled in several places at once. Vincent enjoyed the relative quiet as the spectators seemed to struggle to accept the rapid end to a battle that had never truly started. He strolled across the arena, still holding two pieces of rebar just in case, but saw it was unnecessary when he came close to Current. The man was gasping, and his goggles had flown off as he fell, revealing a disbelieving expression on his uncovered face. Vincent saw that both the man¡¯s right leg and right arm had been pierced, which weren¡¯t fatal, but a third bar was protruding from Current¡¯s chest, almost certainly having impaled his heart. The assembled gang members still seemed to be holding their collective breath, as if waiting for the man to make some kind of last surprise attack, but he just continued dying at Vincent¡¯s feet. It was strangely¡­awkward, and Vincent wondered if he should say something. Would Danny make a joke in this situation? He considered the formula he¡¯d been working on for witticisms. The man was wearing yellow, but there wasn¡¯t much to do with that. The color wasn¡¯t associated with any relevant elements of the situation. Cowardice? Didn¡¯t really apply. His name was ¡®Current¡¯, obviously from electricity, but also to related time measurements. Something about the past? Or maybe the future? Perhaps Vincent could imply that the man should have been paying closer attention, maybe living in the moment? It would be better if he could work in something about electricity as well. Ah! ¡°Looks like Current was past due for his electric bi¨C¡± the ground exploded under him, and Vincent found himself flying through the air before slamming into the arena floor. Pain lanced through his body as he rolled to a stop, and it took all his willpower to force himself back into a crouch. His vision swam as he summoned a hint of his power, holding it just above his body as makeshift armor. His first thought was that Current had somehow lured him into a trap, but the man¡¯s body had been brutalized, and there was no question he was dead. Laughter ran out from all around him, and Dollar Bill¡¯s voice scratched through the speakers a moment later. ¡°Well, it seems that Current may have underestimated young Master Villari, but Underdog has clearly avoided that mistake!¡± As if on queue, a mass of stone and earth burst from the ground a dozen paces from Vincent, then fell away to reveal a dark skinned woman of average height, wearing filthy camo gear. ¡°Can we get a warm welcome for the chief enforcer of the Rangers, Underdoooooog!¡± The crowd erupted even louder than they had for Current, but the woman gave no indication that she even heard them, her eyes locked on Vincent. Her whole body was pasted with dirt, and even her hair stuck out in every direction, like crude, muddy dreadlocks. When she spoke, it was loud enough only for Vincent. ¡°Thank you for eliminating Current. He was an irritating little prick, but I couldn¡¯t kill him without our gangs going to war.¡± Vincent managed to stand, only glancing down at himself quickly enough to confirm that, while he was bleeding in several places and his clothes were badly torn, nothing seemed life-threatening. Regretting the foolishness that had left him an easy target, he sent a green spectral arm lancing toward the woman without wasting another moment. She took the time to smirk before disappearing into the ground as if it were liquid beneath her. Vincent ignored his pain as he moved cautiously around the arena, looking for any sign of his opponent¡¯s movements. His KD hadn¡¯t had time to scan her, but he was generally aware of what earth-based powers could do, and he knew he was ill-suited for this match. Likely she could feel or sense the vibrations of his footsteps, and she¡¯d already proven that she could burst from the ground at remarkable speeds. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Vincent¡¯s mind worked as he scanned the arena for something to even the odds, but Underdog clearly meant to end the match quickly. This time she rose up behind him, and he could feel jagged stone scraping along his armor and even digging shallow cuts into his back slightly as she did. Hoping her momentum would send up her skyward and leave her vulnerable, Vincent¡¯s Phantasmal arms shot out as he spun around. He had just enough time to note that her lower legs were set in anchors of earth and rock, which quickly yanked her back downward as the green arms lanced harmlessly over her disappearing head. Vincent decided on a tactic of constant, erratic movement as he formulated a plan, hoping to at least deny the woman an optimal angle of attack. Underdog responded by remaining underground, but sending out wave after wave of pointed stalagmites from all around him as he ran. Some he managed to dodge, but others drew even more blood as he rolled and leaped around the arena. The crowd was now laughing and jeering as Vincent desperately suffered injury after injury while his opponent was untouchable beneath his feet. He was losing considerable blood now, and moved more slowly by the moment. A pivotal moment came when Underdog suddenly changed tactics, and the waves of piercing attacks were abruptly replaced by several massive waves of rock crashing into him, impossible to dodge. Vincent found himself curled up on ground, his head spinning as he desperately tried to grasp at his waning power. ¡°Pathetic,¡± a voice whispered from all around him. Throughout the battle, Vincent had struggled for any way to find his opponent. He¡¯d tried running around the arena and adjusting his positioning, hoping to triangulate where she was based on the limits of her powers, but it hadn¡¯t worked. Finally he was left in his current state, an exhausted, bloody mess on the ground. Vincent could feel the rough, wet sand against his face as he struggled to breathe, fearing any moment that a final stone spike would lance through him. Underdog spoke again, and he hesitantly opened one eye. ¡°I¡¯d hoped for more than this from Verdicus¡¯ supposed champion. You¡¯ve made quite the little name for yourself sneaking around the city, choosing the weakest of us to lord over with your measly power,¡± she had revealed herself at last, and she walked toward him, arms held to her side as the earth rose up and formed into deadly spikes and bludgeons. ¡°You should have learned your lesson when the Eraser slapped you down, kid. Guess I¡¯ll have to be your new teacher,¡± she finished, clearly savoring the moment as the crowd chanted her name between shouts of murderous encouragement. Vincent, however, smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve already been a great teacher,¡± he said, and Underdog tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Those are your last words? What the hell¨C¡± her voice cut off as spectral arms burst from the ground all around her, striking like vipers. This final gamble had already been a bigger risk than Vincent would have liked, and so he wasted no time. As two Phantasmal hands gripped her outstretched arms, two more went for the kill, one disappearing into her chest, another into her skull. Underdog¡¯s eyes widened as she felt her heart burst in her chest, but any further reaction was cut off as her brain was ravaged by Vincent¡¯s second attack. The shaped earth and stone fell to the ground in heaps as the crowd was silenced yet again by the unexpected display, and Vincent slowly regained his feet as the woman collapsed. He was panting, and blood was running from countless injuries. Once again he knew he¡¯d only survived thanks to luck. He¡¯d tried reaching for her subtly with his spectral arms through the fight, but there was simply too much room for her to hide. Baiting her, and hoping that the desire to execute him in front of the assembled gangs would be enough for her to reveal herself had been the best Vincent could come up with. The crowd was back to roaring, again a mix of cheers for the general bloodshed, and boos for his continued survival. Vincent walked forward to look down on the body of Underdog. She really had taught him something. Sending his arms underground in their incorporeal state, mimicking her own fighting style was a genuinely useful tactic, and one he¡¯d have scars to remind himself of. Noticing Dollar Bill stepping toward the edge of the owners box and reaching for the microphone, Vincent sighed as he considered there was somehow still another round to go. He was distracted, however, as a strange feeling rose up inside him, and he collapsed to one knee. His body seemed to tighten and tense, his muscles feeling like they were straining against some terrible weight. Then his ocular KD flashed a welcome message. Initiate level 5 reached. Physical and Mental abilities have improved. Maximum Energy reserves have increased. New Ability has Manifested: Apparition The pain passed quickly, and Vincent was extraordinarily grateful to find that it left a small burst of new energy in its place. His wounds were unchanged, and he still felt half-dead, but he suspected he¡¯d need every drop of power he had for whatever his final challenge would be. Slowly he regained his feet, realizing that Dollar Bill had been speaking for some time. ¡°Well, it looks like he hasn¡¯t died yet, ladies and gentlemen! Young Master Villari appears to have survived the first two rounds of the Trial of the Pit!¡± The crowd cheered at that, and Vincent wondered if they¡¯d cheer at anything the powerful gang leader would say. Or perhaps they know what¡¯s coming next, he considered with dissatisfaction. ¡°That means it¡¯s the moment we¡¯ve all been waiting for!¡± Dollar Bill said, and the speakers were barely louder than the crowd¡¯s wild roars. What could they be so excited for? Dollar Bill had assured him that he wouldn¡¯t allow the other gangs to put forward anyone more powerful than a low end Reactive rank. Was there some champion of that level that the crowd expected to see? Vincent was hastily trying to access his new ability when the truth became clear, and he realized his mistake. Dollar Bill was taking off his simple business suit, loosening his tie as some unseen helper pulled his jacket off. He was grinning that diamond smile right at Vincent as he did so. The man had said he wouldn¡¯t let the other gangs send in anyone more powerful. He hadn¡¯t restricted himself. The shirt was unbuttoned next as the showman made a meal out of the process, allowing the crowd¡¯s excitement to grow with the anticipation. Vincent found that he couldn¡¯t look away as the unusual super¡¯s gleaming body was slowly revealed. Impossibly, he did appear to be made entirely of gemstones. The waves of red rubies rolled across a body of diamonds, and even half-blinded by the arena spotlights, Vincent was forced to admit Dollar Bill was a remarkable sight. The gang leader grabbed the microphone once more when he was down to just a pair of red underwear. ¡°I think our poor Master Villari might be realizing he¡¯s made a mistake, my friends!¡± Laughter rang out across the arena, and Vincent realized he¡¯d let his mouth hang open and his posture droop. He forced himself straight, knowing that however the night ended, this was how the gangs and villains would remember him. ¡°Fear not, Villari, no one expects you to beat me the way you did these other, unworthy champions. I don¡¯t often step into the ring, and I¡¯m not a man to rule by might.¡± More scattered laughter at that. ¡°We¡¯ll keep this sporting. If you can survive in the arena against me for three minutes, then whatever is left of you is free to leave. Victorious.¡± Even through the distortion of the arena speakers, Vincent could hear the amusement in that last word. Without further pageantry, Dollar Bill leaped into the arena, his shining body slamming into the ground with surprising force, a cloud of sand and dust bursting outward. He spoke again, though only Vincent would be able to hear over the crowd. ¡°You understand why this needs to happen, don¡¯t you Villari? The gangs need to see that I punish weakness. And should you survive, they¡¯ll never see you as weak again. I¡¯m doing you a favor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Robert will see it that way,¡± Vincent answered, and he was pleased to see the man¡¯s face twitch slightly. ¡°I may lose Maria over this, and maybe even end up taking a long walk across the bottom of the bay, but that won¡¯t change what happens here. Your three minutes start now, Villair. Run.¡± Vincent ran. Chapter 40: Apparition That¡¯s it? How can that be it? Damn it, James, what the hell happened up there? Vincent¡¯s beaten and bloody body couldn¡¯t move very quickly, but still he pushed himself to run. Three minutes. That was how long he was supposed to survive in the arena with the most powerful Supervillain in NTC. Glancing back, he saw that Dollar Bill hadn¡¯t even moved yet; he was just watching Vincent¡¯s desperate scramble and laughing, his diamond and ruby body sparkling in the spotlights. Vincent¡¯s gaze swept desperately around the arena, looking for anything that could help keep him alive. The crude handrails around the pit were nearly collapsing inward as the flood of gang members pushed up against it for a better view of the spectacle. The once flat terrain beneath his feet was now a field of uneven piles of earth from Underdog¡¯s attacks. The smell of blood was fresh in the air, and the remains of Vincent¡¯s eight defeated opponents had been scattered everywhere. There was nothing that seemed to offer any real advantage over a man made of diamonds, possibly a century old, and definitely beyond even Robert¡¯s Reactive rank. Vincent¡¯s eye did catch something of note, however, as a previously unknown rectangular object, which was hanging from the ceiling in the center of the arena, had been revealed to be a large digital clock. It flashed in green and red, 2:52. At least I¡¯m not relying on Dollar Bill to count, he thought. Vincent had reached the farthest point in the arena opposite his opponent, and finally he turned around. The rusty spikes that covered the walls were uncomfortably close, and he tried to keep a relatively safe distance from them as he inspected his unhurried adversary. Despite his infamy and the general fear of his strength, Dollar Bill¡¯s powers weren¡¯t well known¨Cor at least the many gang members of NTC knew not to speak of them. Vincent didn¡¯t know how to prepare, and so he tried to use the time he¡¯d gained to inspect his newly manifested ability. Ability: Apparition Rank: Initiate 1 Mastery: Effects of Mastery unknown. Description: The Specter can create¨C Vincent dove to the side in panic as dozens of gleaming projectiles were fired at him, embedding themselves in the arena wall like bullets. He picked himself off the ground and looked at Dollar Bill, who was shaking his head with disapproval. ¡°Are you ignoring me, Young Master Villari? I was trying to be sporting, but clearly you need to be reminded to take this seriously.¡± He lifted his arm again, palm open, and the spotlight reflected off of the gems as they fired from his arm like a machine gun. Vincent scrambled as quickly as he could, running along the outside of the arena as the diamond-bullets tore through everything behind him. Over the seemingly endless impacts he could hear the crowd laughing. It was obvious to everyone that Dollar Bill was playing with him. Abruptly the bullets ceased, and Vincent slid to a stop, panting. Glancing up he saw the clock remarkably still read 2:29, though it had felt like he¡¯d run for hours. Dollar Bill was taking a page from Current¡¯s book, thankfully, arms raised to absorb the adulation of the assembled gangs. Again Vincent pulled up his new skill interface, trying to focus only on the pertinent information. Description: The Specter can create copies of themself made of pure energy. These ¡®Apparitions¡¯ will¨C Good enough, Vincent thought as another hail of diamond bullets exploded at his feet. He ran once more, this time feeling the projectiles crashing into his spectral armor. Dollar Bill was still toying with him, but clearly raising the stakes. Knowing he needed any advantage he could get, and that his Phantasmal arms were nowhere near long enough to be of use, Vincent tried his new ability. Apparition! A green hued, translucent copy of himself seemed to burst from him, and the bullets ceased as everyone took a moment to stare in surprise. Vincent slid to a stop, and briefly examined his creation. It looked much like his spectral arms, though the portions appeared to be a true reflection of Vincent¡¯s own, rather than the malleable Phantasms. The details weren¡¯t easy to make out in the blurry form, but it did seem to be his mirror image. Vincent was considering how to command the strange projection when its head suddenly turned in Dollar Bill¡¯s direction, seemingly of its own accord. The Villain watched in confusion and curiosity as the green figure charged at him fearlessly. When it was halfway across the arena he began firing diamond bullets at it, but they passed through the Apparition¡¯s body with seemingly no effect. In moments it was upon him, and began to attack with abandon¨Cusing Vincent¡¯s own martial abilities. It punched and kicked relentlessly, showing none of the weariness that permeated Vincent¡¯s true body. Dollar Bill blocked and dodged at first, but after the first strike made it through and collided with his gemstone jaw, he ceased his defense and let out another roaring laugh. ¡°What the hell is this thing, Villari?¡± he said as the Specter impotently hammered at the man with no visible effect. Good question, Vincent though, once again trying to pull up the interface. Description: The Specter can create copies of themself made of pure energy. These ¡®Apparitions¡¯ will enact the will of the Specter until dismissed, or their energy reserves are expended. In combat, Apparitions will mimic the Specter¡¯s fighting style¨C Vincent¡¯s eyes widened as the nature of the battle shifted dramatically. He threw himself backward with all his enhanced strength as a wave of diamond and rubies crashed into the spot he¡¯d just been standing. He rolled and slid in the filthy sand and dirt, then managed to look up just in time to see the mass of gemstones swirl and gather back into the familiar form of Dollar Bill, only a few strides away. The patterns of diamond and ruby were different this time, with a larger mass of red in his sparkling face, making the man look furious in a cartoonish way. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with tricks, Villari. You¡¯ll find that my own are a touch more deadly, however.¡± Dollar Bill was grinning down at him, and Vincent met his eyes¨Cpointedly met his eyes, as the underwear had very much not followed the man as he reformed his body. I suppose undressing was less theatrics and more practicality, Vincent considered as he regained his feet. ¡°Your tricks do seem to be more deadly, but mine are still irritating,¡± Vincent countered, and Dollar Bill shrugged in confusion. Clearly the retort seemed weak, but made sense as the Apparition jumped onto the Villain¡¯s back, wrapping an arm around his neck, and legs around his waist, before it resumed its ineffectual strikes. Vincent wasted no time as he resumed his mad dash away from the struggling pair. Glancing at the clock he felt some small relief, it read 1:48. This could work, he thought, looking back to see Dollar Bill stomping uselessly on the Apparition which he¡¯d thrown to the ground. Amusingly, it appeared to be as unbothered by the gang leader¡¯s attacks as he was of its own persistent strikes. Stopping again to prepare for another attack, Vincent considered what he¡¯d managed to read from the skill description: ¡®copies¡¯. Not copy. He grinned, and used a little more of his flagging power. Apparition! Another translucent Vincent Villari burst from him, and immediately sprinted back toward Dollar Bill. His arm was raised to fire more diamond bullets, but he began cursing loudly. ¡°What kind of nonsense is this, Villari?¡± he raged as the second specter began to swing wildly at the seemingly indestructible Villain. Dollar Bill tried to ignore it, which only allowed the first to once again leap up to grip the man¡¯s exposed neck. The second Apparition followed suit, tackling the diamond man around his middle. Unsurprisingly, the gang leader shattered back into a pile of gems that somehow seemed to possess greater mass than the man himself. A moment later, the glittering wave was heading straight for Vincent, who¡¯d been expecting exactly that. His weak and injured legs protested when he leapt high into the air, but it worked¨Cthis time¨Cas the wave passed right beneath him, crashing into the arena wall. The spikes didn¡¯t seem to bother Dollar Bill as the man quickly reformed his body, but Vincent allowed himself a wicked grin as the gang leader was met with another Apparition, who immediately resumed the attack. The Villain roared in frustration as he pushed past the specter, only for the other two to simultaneously slam into him from behind, knocking the man to the ground. Vincent hobbled away as his Apparitions clung to his pursuer. Glancing back he saw that the newest conjuration was now hanging from the man¡¯s left leg, slowing him down as Dollar Bill tried to aim at Vincent with an outstretched palm once again. I think¡­I think I can do one more, Apparition! A final copy was leaping onto the Villain¡¯s arm a moment later. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Vincent was now moving at little more than a shuffle through the arena, ignoring the screams of fury behind him. Originally he¡¯d planned to use his Phantasmal arms to grab spectators from the stands and hurl them at Dollar Bill, but he¡¯d discovered that he lacked the power to use both of his abilities at once. He¡¯d realized that unfortunate truth when he noticed his armor¨Ca trick of his Phantasmal ability¨Chad faded away. That left retreat as his only real tactic, his four copies providing what distraction they could. The clock read 1:09. Vincent didn¡¯t allow himself to grow too hopeful. He knew an unpleasant truth: most supers had at least three powers, and Dollar Bill appeared to have only used two. Risking another look back, Vincent was pleased to see that his spectral copies had shifted tactics, and were now trying to prevent their target from seeing by pulling at his head, and savagely gouging at his implausibly diamond eyes. The Villain was fuming and hurling the copies away from himself as quickly as he could. Vincent once again tried to finish reading the skill¡¯s description, wondering how long the Apparitions could remain summoned. Description: The Specter can create copies of themself made of pure energy. ¡®These Apparitions¡¯ will enact the will of the Specter until dismissed, or their energy reserves are expended. In combat, Apparitions will mimic the Specter¡¯s fighting style, while attempting to grapple any target containing Asteroid-Radiation. Apparitions will drain this energy until¨C This time Vincent expected the interruption, as Dollar Bill had never allowed him more than a few moments of peace. He was already starting his exhausted, hobbling retreat when a tentacle of ruby and diamond nearly lanced right through him, a wicked, bladed tip digging deeply into the arena wall. Vincent let himself fall to the ground as two more tentacles followed the first, before snaking back to Dollar Bill. Looking at the man in shock, Vincent saw that his opponent was clearly done with the cat and mouse. Three of his copies were wrapped in glittering tentacles that had emerged from Dollar Bill¡¯s back, struggling ceaselessly as they were suspended a dozen feet in the air, the final copy still clinging pointlessly to the man¡¯s neck. The Villain was marching toward Vincent, fury plain on his shining features. ¡°You¡¯ve made an annoying spectacle of yourself, Villari, but this is over.¡± They both glanced up at the clock as the gang leader approached, and Vincent¡¯s faint hopes seemed to die as he saw what it read, 0:24. Dollar Bill grinned, and another tentacle burst from his chest, the end a thin, jagged blade of ruby. It struck like lightning, impaling Vincent¡¯s leg, and staking him to the ground. He screamed at the sudden agony, and at the simple truth it imparted: no more running. Dollar Bill was clearly savoring the moment, ignoring the ticking clock as he came closer. With certain death now a dozen paces away, Vincent did the only thing left to do, and pulled up the skill description, skipping to the end. ¡­Apparitions will mimic the Specter¡¯s fighting style, while attempting to grapple any target containing Asteroid-Radiation. Apparitions will drain this energy until they reach maximum capacity, at which point they will¨C ¡°Explode,¡± Vincent whispered as his eyes widened. He looked up at the copies, realizing that each appeared far more solid and bright than they had when first created. They were saturated with Gamma, none more so than the one clinging directly to Dollar Bill¡¯s neck, which seemed to be vibrating ominously. Dollar Bill had stopped in his tracks, his head cocked to one side. ¡°Did you say explo¨C¡± the first explosion came from a copy that was suspended in the air¨Clikely the original that Vincent had created. A flash of green light and a sound so loud that Vincent¡¯s eardrums seemed to burst was followed by a wave of green energy erupting outward in an expanding sphere. When it came in contact with the second Apparition, that one ignited as well, the third joining a second later. Dollar Bill was thrown sideways toward the nearby wall as Vincent flattened himself against the ground, covering his head as best he could against the devastation spreading over the arena. The fourth explosion was bigger than the rest, and Vincent grit his teeth as dozens of diamond and ruby meteors flew in every direction. The Apparition''s final effect might have given Vincent a chance to survive, but they¡¯d also turned Dollar Bill into a dirty bomb, a living mass of gemstones turned into deadly shrapnel. Screams echoed through the arena as a section of the wall was destroyed. Some gang members fell forward, while far more were pelted with shards of the gang leader¡¯s body, leaving them writhing in agony. Vincent hesitantly looked up as a strange alarm just barely made itself heard over the ringing in his ears. The clock had reached zero. Inspecting his body, Vincent found that he¡¯d done better than many others in the arena. The first explosion had struck him, feeling like a wall of burning force, but it had also pushed Dollar Bill far enough away that the thousands of shards of his opponent had mostly missed him. He was still bleeding from the wound in his leg, and he could feel stabbing pain all over his body where the gems were embedded in his flesh, but he was alive. Vincent slowly managed to regain his feet, using strips of his ruined shirt as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from his leg, then looked around. Sand and dust had been kicked into the air by the numerous explosions, but it was gently settling, revealing an arena very much changed from only moments before. Many of the gang members had apparently retreated, leaving the stands half-empty. At least twenty more of them lay unmoving on the arena floor, their bodies a mess of glittering gems. Half of the lights had been shattered as well, leaving much of the Pit in darkness, and Vincent had to squint to see the rectangular box dangling from frayed wires. The clock was blinking 0:00, and Vincent allowed himself a moment to savor that image, forgetting his pain for a brief second. The reality of the situation crept back in almost immediately, and Vincent forced himself to consider what came next. Would the remaining gangs accept his victory? Would they stop him from leaving? Would they hold these new deaths against him? He didn¡¯t know what to expect, so assuming the worst, he began hobbling toward the ruined section of the stands, looking for some kind of escape. Fresh pain suddenly tore through him, and he was forced to stop and lean against the wall. He watched with curiosity as the glittering gems embedded in the brick and concrete started to vibrate, before bursting outward all at once. The same happened to the ones stuck in Vincent¡¯s body, explaining his pain as diamonds and rubies flowed back into a pile in the center of the arena. Laughter seemed to echo from all around him. Dollar Bill¡¯s glittering body reformed in moments, though he was now stained with blood, Vincent¡¯s and the gang members that lay in forgotten heaps everywhere. The Villain was grinning his salesman¡¯s smile as he strode over to Vincent, who lacked the strength to even assume a defensive posture. Dollar Bill gripped his left hand, and raised it above them both. ¡°Vincent Villari, Champion of Veridicus has survived the Trial of the Pit!¡± he called loudly. No one cheered, or even booed. That didn¡¯t seem to disappoint the gang leader, who released Vincent¡¯s hand to clap his own rapidly. At last he came very close and spoke so that only they could hear. ¡°Well done, Young Master. You¡¯ve bought yourself some time. See that we don¡¯t need to do this again, understood?¡± Vincent nodded, cringing a little and moving backward. Dollar Bill raised a glittering eyebrow. ¡°What? You won, where¡¯s the celebration?¡± Vincent sighed, ¡°You¡¯re very close, very bloody¡­and very naked.¡± Dollar Bill let out a cackle, slapped Vincent painfully on the back, then strolled away, unconcerned. *** Robert Haufman considered himself to be a very patient person. He¡¯d spent years focusing on acquiring the kind of power he¡¯d need, and then months learning to control that wild, raging strength. Even then, he hadn¡¯t rushed off to what would surely have been a losing battle. He may be called a Berserker, but he wouldn¡¯t allow that name to define him. Still, it had been several hours now since little Vincent had disappeared down the crudely carved stairwell in the basement of Bill¡¯s headquarters, and Robert was starting to grow aggravated. He stepped away from the concrete wall he¡¯d been quietly leaning on and stretched his massive frame. Immediately the two dozen guards readied their weapons, and Maria took on some kind of fighting stance. Robert barely registered this as he looked around the dark basement. It was relatively empty, except for a small fleet of old cars that the gang leader apparently collected. There wasn¡¯t even any food, and Robert got very hungry these days, despite the pulsing core of energy inside him that reduced that need. Finally he let out a sigh, and let his gaze sweep past the shaking gang members, to fall on Maria. ¡°I think I have to kill some of you at this point,¡± he said matter of factly, ¡°don¡¯t you think?¡± Maria looked around, somehow confused by the simple question. ¡°Um, no, I don¡¯t think so? We told you it would take a while. If it was fast that would mean Villari is already dead. It¡¯s slow because he¡¯s winning, or the boss would already be back.¡± Robert considered. That made sense. Still though¡­ ¡°I should probably just kill a few of you, to be safe.¡± ¡°Oh to hell with this!¡± One of the gang members in the back said suddenly, then dropped his rifle on the ground and ran from the room. Several others looked at one another, clearly considering the same idea. Maria sighed, ¡°Well you can kill that coward, I won¡¯t even try to stop you.¡± ¡°That guy? You should promote him, he¡¯s obviously the smartest person you have. The rest of you chose to stay and die.¡± This time a weapon actually went off, and Maria quickly moved to disarm the one who¡¯d lost control. Robert looked down where the bullet had struck his left side. Not even a hole in his suit. He loved his second ability; it saved him so much clothing. ¡°Okay,¡± he declared, moving away from the wall, ¡°I¡¯ll just kill five, I think that¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Hold on, Robert,¡± said a weak voice from behind him, and Robert let out a relieved breath when he saw Vincent¡¯s bloody face emerging from the stairwell. He looked bad. Not as bad as when he¡¯d faced Eraser, but still, Robert felt his fury building, and his control slipping. ¡°How many then, Vincent?¡± he asked, the heat rising inside him. ¡°None today, thank you Robert,¡± his small friend answered, and surprisingly the rage began to subside. ¡°We did what we set out to do, and we bought the time we needed. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Robert gave the group of relieved gang members one last glare. ¡°Are you sure, Vincent? It sends a bad message if they can do this to you and not lose any of their own.¡± Vincent smiled, pulling his black coat closed over his blood-soaked clothes. ¡°There¡¯s a few dozen bodies downstairs that send a clear enough message, and we have work to do. There are plenty of gangs left in this city that need to learn the name Veridicus.¡± Chapter 41: War Stories Why would you lie to us? Why would you lie to the entire world? We trusted you. Danny shuffled closer to their flag, listening to the sounds of Firestrike fighting Gary just outside. The room that held the flag was just a simple cube, constructed from the same deep blue training material that the rest of the course was. Danny had seen it blasted apart countless times, but a sprinkle of Gamma and it was back to normal. So cool. The room had doors on each side, as well as an open ceiling. It meant that you could hide inside for an ambush, but also couldn¡¯t watch every direction for someone coming in for a flag grab. Danny has been relegated to defense after several¡­incidents with his powers, when he tried to capture the other team¡¯s flag on his own. Apparently destroying the building the flag was in, and the flag, and a taco kiosk behind the arena, was ¡®frowned upon¡¯. More than frowned upon the second time. It had been two and half months since Legacy had taken him to the tower for training. In that time he¡¯d received eight increasingly disappointed messages from Vincent, been involved in 27 incidents where he¡¯d damaged the tower¨Cwait, 28, that fire was totally my fault, I wonder if they know that?¨C and worse, it felt like he hadn¡¯t gotten any better at being a Power Shaper. He had gotten way more dangerous though. His KD said he was Initiate 9, but his Mimic power had already reached Reactive 1. Apparently using it all day, every day was showing serious results. Unfortunately, while Danny had hoped it would result in greater control over his powers, it actually just let him Mimic an even greater degree of his target¡¯s strength. Thus, exploding taco kiosk. Damn I miss those tacos. Through it all Legacy had been endlessly supportive. He insisted he was just as bad when he first got his own powers, the only difference was that his ¡®accidents¡¯ just killed more Invaders. Zero taco casualties. Unfortunately the rest of the Tower was less understanding. The Chief admin, Mrs. Gibson, who¡¯d been so welcoming the day he¡¯d arrived, now had a special expression she saved just for him. It was a look that simultaneously said ¡®I value all super children¡¯ and ¡®you are ruining my life you absolute piss-ant¡¯. Danny respected her range. The people who worked at the tower either loved him or hated him. He had a good relationship with a lot of the support staff, and enjoyed chatting the days away with them now and then. The office workers, however, were not his fans. Something about a column of deadly energy piercing into the building. Some people were impossible to please. Still, their feelings were nothing compared to the Young Infinity trainees, who were all growing sick of him. Even Gary and Erica barely bothered to hide their irritation anymore. Too many training accidents. Too much friendly fire. He may have walked into the wrong showers once. Just unavoidable accidents, all around. It was to the point that he was making them all look bad, and he knew it. Some NGG General¨Can ¡®NGGG¡¯ as Danny had called the man¡­to his face¡­had come to evaluate them. The rest of the team had been showing off their various skill sets quite impressively. Erica was lifting impossible weights, Nell was lighting just about everything on fire, while Gary threw things in the air with his mind, and Charles blew them up with shockwaves. It was fine until NGGG asked to see Danny¡¯s powers. Apparently the first natural Power Shaper in a century was someone that Generals with no sense of humor would be made aware of. The first part was fine, as Danny had made a simple, stable shield in the training area. Then the NGGG has asked him to make a construct, the way Legacy did. Legacy had amazing control. He practiced by making copies of real people and moving them around like puppets. Danny, had tried to make a ball. In his defense, he succeeded. Less defensible was when he tried to ¡®toss¡¯ the ball to the General. Frankly the guy was a bit of a complainer. Gary caught him with his mind powers before he¡¯d fallen more than a hundred feet off the side of the Tower. Either way, it had all left Danny feeling worse and worse about himself, which only made his control even less reliable. Now it had become standard for their five-person team to put him on whichever team was going to have three people¡­because he was a liability. And so here he was, leaning against the K-Tech training wall, listening to the real supers fight just outside. He let out a long sigh, then coughed when his next breath was scalding hot. Oh joy, it looks like Nell won. A bout of flame burst through the ceiling, filling the small room and exploding out the four doors. The flag was untouched, of course, more K-Tech wonders. Nell fell through the ceiling a moment later, and as usual Danny felt conflicted when he saw her. On the one hand she was an enormous asshole. On the other hand, her super suit was skin-tight red spandex. It was presumably fire-proof, but that would be way down on the list of ways he¡¯d describe it. ¡°Oh look, it¡¯s the reject,¡± she said. Stupid, sexy jerk. ¡°Think you can try to stop me without killing me, your teammates, and half the tower while doing it?¡± Flames burst to life in her hands, and Danny fed more energy into the shield he¡¯d reflexively wrapped around himself. ¡°Probably!¡± he shouted back defiantly. This is it, he thought, one more opportunity to prove I¡¯m not a total screw-up. Just do what Legacy taught you. Clear your mind. Focus only on your goal. Nell unleashed all the fire she had from only a few paces away. It was possible¨Ceven likely¨Cthat Danny¡¯s shield would be enough to protect him. But she didn¡¯t need to beat him, just distract him and leave with the flag. Danny couldn¡¯t be passive, he needed to act. He thought about what he wanted to achieve, willing the energy that surrounded him to reshape itself. He needed to redirect the continuous blast of flames out of the gap in the ceiling, giving him a window to engage with Nell directly. He had to push his thoughts away from his first idea, which was to form barriers right over her hands. Some very nice teachers at the Tower had informed him that volatile energy needed somewhere to go, and if he just captured it, it would explode. In this case, likely obliterating Nell¡¯s arms. That would be bad. So he focused on his makeshift chimney, funneling the scorching flames upward in a growing cylinder of power. Oh my god, it¡¯s working. I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯m freaking doing it! He and Nell were both looking upward, equally surprised by the artful and effective neutralization of her destructive powers. Nell¡¯s expression showed her fury, and blonde hair spilled out over her face as she intensified her attack. Danny almost laughed, so relieved to finally see his power doing something other than making him a scared turtle or the butt of every joke. He looked up in satisfaction when the increased firepower did nothing to weaken his construct. The corridor of flame was now more than thirty feet in the air above the training yard, and Danny watched the flames erupting outward where his construct ended. Okay, I did it. I did it! Now I just need to figure out what to do next. Then celebration. I¡¯ve earned it this time. Wait, gotta focus! Focus, focus, focus¨Chow should I celebrate? Well I am starving. Oh hey, my construct kind of looks like a giant corn dog. I should celebrate with a¨Coh no. Oh shit no. His concentration had broken, and worse, in a way directly related to how he was shaping his power. The massive chimney, open on one end to vent the enormous build-up of power harmlessly above them, suddenly sealed over. The now corn dog-shaped cylinder of energy began to throb and warp as the power within it grew with nowhere to go. Nell¡¯s flames abruptly extinguished as she looked up at Danny¡¯s creation. ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡± she whispered. No time, no time, no time! he thought as he leapt forward, flattening Nell to the ground while conjuring the most powerful shield over them he could. Even as he fed all the energy he had into it, he could still feel the intense heat as the explosion roared to life above them. Danny¡¯s eyes were squeezed shut, and though his shield blocked out most of the sound from outside, he could still hear Nell screaming directly into his ear from underneath him. ¡°I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!¡± Fair. At some point he¡¯d blacked out, no doubt having pushed his powers too far. When he opened his eyes, he was alone, and lying on his side. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he was relieved to see that only the top of the training structure had been¡­well, annihilated from existence by the explosion. Apparently he¡¯d managed to push the accidental bomb high enough to not damage the tower itself. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Looking around he saw that the flag was gone, however, and squinting he could see Nell and Charles celebrating their easy victory on the other side of the arena. Gary and Erica were off to one side, sending twin glares in Danny¡¯s direction. They¡¯d lost, and it was his fault. As usual. Even when he did something right, somehow he let it all go wrong. *** ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Legacy lied transparently, before taking another bite of ice cream. They were on a platform of energy hovering a hundred feet or so over the Tower, looking out across the rolling hills of the city. The sun was high in the sky, and floating between the Earth and the clouds left Danny feeling blessedly detached from reality, just like Legacy had intended. ¡°They told me they have to stop serving corn dogs at the Tower. Forever. Mrs. Gibson said that the sight is too traumatizing for most of the staff at this point.¡± ¡°That might be for the best,¡± Legacy replied, looking at him with concern. ¡°You were eating so many of those things that I was genuinely worried you might die.¡± Danny laughed, but cut off when he realized Legacy¡¯s expression had remained serious. ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t think it was that many.¡± ¡°We had an intervention planned,¡± Legacy replied. ¡°But enough about that. I keep telling you that this will take time, but I think there¡¯s another problem. My powers¨Cour powers¨Caren¡¯t subtle. That kind of mastery will come later, but I didn¡¯t get where I am by taking a thousand tiny, careful actions. I got here by charging in ahead of the others, taking out anything in my way.¡± Danny looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You think I need to be more aggressive? I¡¯m already too worried about hurting someone.¡± ¡°Not aggressive. Confident. Assertive. You always have a shield around you. You¡¯re always holding back, then when you finally let go it¡¯s everything you have all at once. I¡¯m sorry kid, but you fight like you¡¯re scared. You fight like you¡¯re used to standing behind someone else.¡± Images of Vincent flashed through Danny¡¯s mind and he looked away. Legacy was right. Danny was used to hiding behind someone. Someone who always had the answers, always had a plan, and didn¡¯t seem to know fear existed. When Danny had arrived at the Farm, he¡¯d felt like he¡¯d been torn out of his life and thrown away like garbage. The weird brainy kid who could stare down an army had been like a shield for Danny to hide behind. Now he had a real shield, one just as powerful, and he hid behind that one too. Legacy was staring at him oddly. ¡°I think it¡¯s my fault,¡± he finally said. ¡°I¡¯m hovering over you, not letting you become your own person. Maybe I should back off, give you room to become something other than ¡®Legacy¡¯s Ward¡¯.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Danny replied immediately. ¡°It¡¯s really not you, I swear it¡¯s¨C¡± Can¡¯t say who it really is. Can¡¯t be who I really am. ¡°It¡¯s Nightshade. I¡¯m still dealing with that whole situation. It weighs on me¡­and I¡¯m just, you know, still getting used to standing on my own.¡± Legacy¡¯s face cringed and he audibly slapped his own forehead. ¡°Of course it¡¯s Nightshade. I¡¯m such a fool. A self-involved fool as Allison would be quick to point out. I¡¯m sorry Daniel, I should have realized. I get so hyper fixated on our powers that I have a hard time remembering there¡¯s a whole world of crap out there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Danny said hastily. ¡°I¡¯m doing better, really. It¡¯s just gonna take time.¡± Maybe now that he had a hint of the real problem, things really would improve. He¡¯d relied on Vincent so long that¨COh shit, right. Vincent. Plan. Mission. I am a great spy. ¡°Maybe we can talk about something else?¡± Legacy smiled, seeming relieved. ¡°Sure, I have all day. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± What indeed? He¡¯d been in this situation before, but could never think of a normal way to steer a conversation toward secret space guns. To hell with it, I¡¯ll start at the beginning if I have to. ¡°How did you get your powers?¡± he asked. The propaganda told a certain story, but Danny was suspicious enough of the NGG not to trust it at this point. ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s an old story. You really wanna hear about those days?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Do I really want to hear about the Great Hero and the invasion and the birth of the first Heroes and the triumph of mankind, all from someone who was actually there? Yes. Yes I do.¡± Legacy laughed, leaning back on the disc of energy and kicking his legs as they dangled over the edge, seeming oddly childlike for a moment. ¡°I guess I¡¯m used to assuming that people are tired of an old man¡¯s stories. You can¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like seeing multiple generations of people grow old and die in your lifetime. At first everyone knew everything I¡¯d been through. They¡¯d seen it. But after a while¡­¡± He looked up at the clouds drifting overhead. ¡°People would ask me questions all the time, and I never thought about it, just told my stories. Then one day it was a question from someone who¡¯d been born after the war had ended. Seemed like only a few years later that it was people who¡¯d heard about the Invasion from their grandparents. Then from history books. Then just highlight reels from that god-awful Pledge.¡± Danny did a double-take. ¡°You don¡¯t like the Pledge?¡± Legacy barked a laugh. ¡°The NGG does whatever it takes to keep the world united. I¡­respect that, as much as I can. But they¡¯re telling a very colorful story about a very dark time.¡± Danny considered that. ¡°Was the Great Hero not what they say he was?¡± Legacy smiled. ¡°James was so much more than they say, and maybe a little less at the same time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you say that name before, that¡¯s not really¨C¡± ¡°James Snyder. Dutch immigrant. Born during the Great War. Shitty at cards. Great Hero. You can see why they shortened the title.¡± He chuckled. ¡°But yes, that was James. He¡¯d be the first one to tell you he was just a man. More than hating the ¡®Great Hero¡¯ mantle, he actually used to say he was a Villain.¡± ¡°What?¡± Danny almost yelled. The Great Hero was more myth than man. This was like hearing that Santa was a murderer. ¡°Oh yes. Maybe even the Great Villain. You see, he did everything they said: he saved the world. But he did it by committing genocide against an entire species. And he made decisions every day that cost the lives of millions of innocent people.¡± ¡°What kind of decisions?¡± Danny asked quietly. ¡°Who to save. He was still one man, even at the height of his power, and he could only be in one place at a time. But the whole world was a battlefield in those days. If he saved France, then Poland would fall. If he went to Russia, then people in Africa were slaughtered. When he went to Canada to try to save his family, he was abandoning a billion people to the Invaders.¡± ¡°I never thought about it like that,¡± Danny whispered. ¡°My whole life it¡¯s been this big triumph. One man saving us all.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s what it was. He did push back the invaders, but we lost most of the world while he did it. You asked how I got my powers, that was how. James knew he couldn¡¯t do it on his own. At first he would entirely clear an area, needing every last scrap to grow strong enough to challenge the next Kingdom. But after a couple of years he couldn¡¯t hide his actions anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean hide? How did he wipe out entire countries worth of aliens without anyone noticing?¡± Legacy shook his head. ¡°I forget how little they actually teach on the farms. The Invaders weren¡¯t really fighting humanity. That would be like you waging war on an anthill. What they actually did was claim Earth as their territory. They dropped in from that stupid rock of theirs, and the most powerful of them carved out their own little realms. Then they warred with each other.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything like that,¡± Danny said. ¡°It¡¯s not as inspiring a narrative, I suppose, but it¡¯s the truth. Invader Kingdoms were rising and falling every day. Presumably they thought the ones James took out were just more of the same. At least at first. ¡°Like I said, eventually they took notice, and he needed to move faster. So he found us, the ¡®Originals¡¯ they call us now, but we were just the first Adepts he managed to find before we exploded. Kids really.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Danny said sympathetically. ¡°No harnesses back then.¡± ¡°Exactly. He had to hold us together personally while we figured out our powers. Made things even harder that I was the only one who was even slightly similar to him, the only one he could really teach. Mender was a pleasant surprise to everyone, of course. And asshole or not, Tecnico¡¯s inventions changed everything. Sage¨C¡± ¡°Wait, Sage?¡± Danny asked, suspecting but not certain. ¡°Right,¡± Legacy replied sadly. ¡°They¡¯ve done a good job erasing every trace of that name, but Sage was the first Psychic. We fought alongside her for years. Decades, really.¡± ¡°And you trusted her?¡± Danny asked before he could stop himself. Even with Lucia being like a sister to him, the danger and mystery of Psychics had been pounded into him since he was a child. Thankfully Legacy didn¡¯t seem offended. ¡°We did. She was right next to us, taking down Invaders. Once we were capable of controlling ourselves without his help, James would take out an Invader Alpha¨Cone of their ¡®Kings¡¯ you could say¨Cand we¡¯d go in and mop up. He¡¯d move on, and we¡¯d clean up the rabble. Back then Sage was as much of a Hero as any of us.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you scared of her, you know, messing with your minds?¡± Legacy got a distant expression then, and it was a long moment before he answered. ¡°She said she couldn¡¯t, and we believed her. The bond you form in the trenches¡­I can¡¯t even explain it. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± Danny prompted after the man didn¡¯t continue. ¡°But we wouldn¡¯t have known, would we?¡± he said, and Danny felt a chill run down his spine, despite the sun feeling closer than ever from their high vantage. He considered everything that Legacy had said. He was so close to a subject that might actually lead to the information he was sent here for, but Legacy obviously wasn¡¯t in the right headspace to keep talking about the Psychics. Trying to find something related¨Cbut less controversial¨Ca question popped into his head. ¡°Hey Legacy, what did the Invaders actually look like? Cameras didn¡¯t work on them back then, so¡­?¡± Suddenly Legacy¡¯s entire countenance shifted, and he grinned. ¡°Now that is an interesting question. And how¡¯s this for an answer: want to go see one?¡± Chapter 42: Heros Sanctum Where did you go, James? Why did you just disappear? We needed you. We still need you. Danny wasn¡¯t quite used to flying on an energy construct. He¡¯d tried¨Cvery carefully¨Con his own once, and was surprised by how easy it was compared to some of the other ways of using Legacy¡¯s power. Just make a disc, sit on it, then kinda¡­push it around. Still, as they flew toward their mystery destination, the world flashing by thousands of feet below, Danny found himself dizzy and slightly air sick. As the land shifted to water he looked up at his mentor, who was still grinning. ¡°Are we nearly there? I¡¯ve never gone this fast before, it¡¯s¡­a lot.¡± Legacy laughed. ¡°I¡¯m still going slower than usual so you don¡¯t pass out, but yes, we¡¯re almost there. You¡¯ll see a group of islands soon; we¡¯re heading to the big one.¡± Danny nodded, then closed his eyes and focused on the heat of the sun, trying to pretend that he wasn¡¯t inside a transparent sphere traveling faster than a plane. After his stomach settled a bit, he opened his eyes again and took in the scene. They were definitely over the ocean, and the crashing waves below were an entirely new brand of intimidating, but it was undeniably beautiful. The sky had opened up a bit, and the water below reflected its blue as it stretched off into the horizon. Danny spotted two different ships in the distance, one appearing to be a massive transport container the world still relied on, while the other actually had sails, of all things. Finally he spotted the islands Legacy had mentioned. A few splotches of green which quickly resolved into sandy beaches and dense vegetation as the sphere neared them and slowed down. Danny couldn¡¯t see any people or structures on the smaller islands, most of which would fit in a city block in NTC, but the largest island was clearly different. It was at least as big as the entirety of NTC, and there appeared to be a village of small, humble gray square buildings near the wide, white beach. Legacy didn¡¯t stop there, however, and Danny watched the village disappear into the distance as they moved farther inland, passing over what looked like dense jungle. ¡°Do I get to find out where we¡¯re going now?¡± Danny asked. ¡°I¡¯ll admit the idea of seeing an Invader is pretty awesome, but this much secrecy is kind of freaking me out. You¡¯re not taking me to some kind of secret, jungle society of aliens are you?¡± Legacy laughed, ¡°Hardly! But I guess I should apologize, I didn¡¯t think about where your mind might go.¡± ¡°No worries, but can you tell me where my body is going? ¡°Right there,¡± Legacy said, pointing to a gap in the trees quickly growing closer. Danny squinted, shuffling forward to get a better look. Soon he realized it was a mansion, built in a clearing and surrounded by trees, with no visible roads or paths leading to it. ¡°What is that?¡± he whispered. ¡°Hero¡¯s Sanctum,¡± Legacy said with a touch of gravitas. Then more lightly he added, ¡°Or James¡¯ house if you want to be less formal. And before you ask: don¡¯t worry, he hasn¡¯t been home in a long, long time.¡± Danny¡¯s eyes widened with surprise, and he stared intently at the large home as they approached. It was mostly white stone, but weather appeared to be turning it gray, and it was almost entirely covered by overgrown plantlife. The structure itself wasn¡¯t overly elaborate. Just two stories, with no pillars or fancy statues or anything, but it did have a wide, welcoming staircase. There were gardens that had spilled over and spread across the clearing, covered in pink and blue flowers, and before they landed Danny spotted an old pool that had become a pond over time. When the construct disappeared and Danny felt the soft ground beneath his feet, he let out a sigh of relief. The air was humid and thick with the smell of soil and trees, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. He turned to speak to Legacy when a howl echoed from the woods. ¡°Was that a wolf?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°Are there jungle wolves?¡± Legacy laughed. ¡°Dogs, actually. James loved dogs. He used to tell us that if we saved the world, he¡¯d save every stray dog out there. We didn¡¯t think he was serious until he asked for this island. Turns out it was the only thing he ever asked for. A private home, stray dogs, and some people to look after them. That¡¯s what the village was we flew over¨Cveterinarians and trainers still visit to make sure the dogs are taken care of.¡± Danny shook his head as he processed that. It was an oddly human thing to know about a legend, and for some reason it shook his understanding even more than the war stories. Still, when the howls rang out again he felt a taste of some kind of primal fear, and hurriedly caught up to Legacy who was striding toward the wide steps. As they approached the large manor, Danny was glancing around warily. There were rows upon rows of windows in the old manor, and despite Legacy¡¯s assurance, he kept expecting to spot someone looking out at them. His fears didn¡¯t manifest however, and the general disrepair of the building slowly convinced him that it was truly abandoned. Legacy stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and held out an arm to block Danny. ¡°One moment,¡± he said, then reached forward, palm out. A dazzling shield of blue burst to life when his hand came in contact with it, and Danny took an involuntary step back. The shield was actually a dome, and it covered the entire building. ¡°Did you make that?¡± Danny asked, looking at the odd color of the energy. ¡°No sir, this is pure James. He knew I could visit though,¡± Legacy finished, as a green arch spread outward from his hand, creating a simple door in seconds. ¡°Come on, the fun is inside.¡± Danny followed, but couldn¡¯t help the feeling of being trapped as the door disappeared behind him. The blue shield disappeared immediately after, and Danny wondered if their own powers could duplicate that trick¨Cinvisible constructs opened up all sorts of possibilities. Still, there were more important things to consider as they approached the brown double doors, which Legacy opened with a rusty creak. Danny followed him inside, and was surprised by the interior. He was hit by the powerful scent of mildew, and his gaze swept over the dusty, damp home. It was fairly well-lit from the numerous open windows letting in the sun, revealing an open concept layout, filled entirely with mismatching furniture. There were stairs ahead leading to the second floor, but Legacy moved to the right, passing through a dining room and into a larger living area. Danny¡¯s eyes were caught by almost everything he saw. It wasn¡¯t that everything was equally interesting, there was simply such an unusual mix that the mundane was as strange as the exotic. The dining room had a simple, if large wooden table. The centerpiece, however, appeared to be a claw as large as Danny¡¯s leg. The walls had everything from faded movie posters to what he suspected were genuine works from art. A baseball jersey from someone named ¡®Ruth¡¯ was right next to a faded painting of a dark haired woman smirking. Even the furniture was odd, as somehow every piece seemed to be from a different decade. Wooden chairs next to swiveling office equivalents, polyester couches like he¡¯d seen at his grandparents next to plush, leather recliners. The strange house felt more like a museum, especially when you included the occasional item that was clearly from the Invasion. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. As they passed through another room, Danny noticed discarded weapons, all of them massive, bladed monstrosities that likely would need someone like Bob to lift. Next to those were seemingly random chunks of black and green metal. The latter reminded him of the remains of the Invader Kingdom in NTC, and he wondered why the Great Hero would keep such an odd collection of items. Trophies? At last they came to a simple wooden door, one that Danny would have guessed led to a closet. When Legacy opened it, however, he was surprised to see that it led to another mid-sized room, one that appeared to be a laboratory of some kind. Danny only took a few steps in before he leapt backward with an involuntary yelp. He only managed to steady himself when he realized the towering figure wasn¡¯t moving, regardless of how alive it appeared to be. Legacy walked right up and stood next to the creature, which had to be at least twice the man¡¯s height. Danny took a tentative step forward, feeling his mouth grow dry as he looked upon the form of the monsters that had once conquered and enslaved his world. ¡°Our cameras didn¡¯t work on them back then because of the radiation,¡± Legacy said in a soft voice. ¡°I¡¯ve seen artist renditions, but they can never quite capture the truth.¡± Danny nodded, unable to speak as he took in the sight. The creature¨CDanny couldn¡¯t guess if it was male or female, or if that concept even existed for the Invaders¨Cwas a disturbing, corpse-like shade of gray. Its limbs were long, and narrow¨Call six of them¨Cand the skin was strangely shriveled, looking more like tree bark than flesh. It looked a bit like a large and horribly disfigured human, as if a man had been stretched impossibly, leaving a lank and wiry form behind. Its legs ended in two large claws rather than feet, and it had spiny growths protruding from its knees. The chest was proportioned oddly, likely to accommodate the two sets of arms which were spread wide to its sides, and the shoulders were clustered together, with two arms almost appearing to come out of the same socket. Its fingers were similar to its toes, with three claws on each hand, clearly capable of grasping the massive bladed weapons Danny had seen earlier in the house. The creature wasn¡¯t nude, but it wore only a series of dangling red squares bound together, draping from its neck to hips, then trailing almost to the ground. Bracelets and other jewelry were present as well, made of the same black and green as other Invader construction. Finally Danny took another step forward, and forced himself to look at the creature¡¯s face. It was long, and hairless, but didn¡¯t appear stretched like the rest of the body. Instead it almost looked like a mask, nearly rectangular in shape. The eyes were two dark holes, and very widely spaced. It had the same bark-like appearance as the rest of the body, and shifted into asymmetrical spikes at its crown. It wasn¡¯t until Danny got closer that he finally saw that it did, in fact, have a mouth. The jaw was completely hidden by the front of the face, but from underneath he could see a half-open maw full of too many rows of bladed teeth. He couldn¡¯t be certain, but he had the impression it could open far wider than he¡¯d ever want to see. ¡°Is it¡­alive?¡± he finally managed to ask. In answer, Legacy reached out and wrapped on the creature¡¯s leg with his knuckles. Another blue shield burst to life then quickly faded away. ¡°Kept in stasis for study, but no, it¡¯s not alive.¡± Danny let out a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. He quickly scanned the creature¡¯s form once again. ¡°I don¡¯t see any injuries¡­unless something sucked the life out of it.¡± Legacy grunted, ¡°They all looked like that. But no, you wouldn¡¯t see any injuries. James killed this one very carefully. He actually reached inside the thing with his power, and crushed whatever the hell it used as a brain. I¡¯ve tried for decades, but it¡¯s one of his many tricks that I can¡¯t replicate.¡± Danny glanced at Legacy, whose eyes were locked on his old enemy. I guess it¡¯s no surprise a Power Shaper couldn¡¯t do that¡­sounds more like what Vincent does. He couldn¡¯t say anything, of course, so Danny went back to considering the abomination in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that these things took over the world,¡± he said after a long silence. ¡°Not entirely accurate,¡± Legacy said, finally stepping back and pulling his own gaze away from the Invader corpse. ¡°There were different types of the bastards, we think they fell into some kind of caste system. These ones,¡± he indicated the disturbing creature, ¡°were something like captains. There were a lot more of the smaller kind, they looked more like a hunched over human.¡± Legacy walked over to another door that Danny hadn¡¯t noticed, his attention locked on the Invader. The Hero opened this second door, and Danny followed him into a different, smaller lab. Again he was greeted with an unexpected sight, though he was somewhat prepared this time, and he was more confused than shocked. Legacy stopped next to some kind of frozen display, clearly containing another Invader specimen. This time they were entering from the side of the room, and Danny wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking at. Rather than a figure, it seemed like he was looking at a large slab of gray skin. For a moment he thought it might be the opposite of the last creature he¡¯d seen, like some kind of big round Invader. He even had a pretty tasteless fat joke ready as the rest of the ten foot blob came into better view. Then he saw the enormous, empty eye socket looking back at him, like a hole in the world, and the quip died on his lips. Again he took an involuntary step back, trying to take in the sight. It was part of a head, as if someone had diagonally sliced off a quadrant of some impossible giant. The eye alone had to be as tall as Danny was, and if its proportions were even remotely similar to the creature in the other room¡­ ¡°All that¡¯s left of one of their ¡®Kings¡¯,¡± Legacy said, and Danny could hear true loathing in his Mentor¡¯s voice. ¡°James truly obliterated the rest of them. They didn¡¯t die like humans, you see. They could rebuild themselves with enough mass and energy. He had to tear every drop of Alpha from this asshole before he was willing to risk preserving it, and James still took¡­other precautions.¡± ¡°How big were these things?¡± Danny whispered, unable to look away from the dark, burnt out hole where he thought an eye should be. ¡°This one was average, maybe¡­seven stories tall? Hard to say, the Kings were less homogenous than the other castes.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Danny replied, and Legacy chuckled softly. ¡°The Kings were all different,¡± he clarified. ¡°More or less. Different numbers of legs, eyes, wings. Didn¡¯t bother James any, though. As soon as he knew he could match their power, he would be on them, tearing the bastards apart.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± was all Danny could say. He was looking at history. Looking at the remains of a being that had conquered worlds. There wasn¡¯t anything more he could say. Reality just didn¡¯t seem all that real at that moment. Finally he managed to look away, though he felt like the dead King watched him as he stumbled across the room. The lab was almost identical to the first. There were notebooks, some K-Tech computers that looked about three decades old, and all sorts of weird testing equipment he didn¡¯t recognize. Plus one other thing. Danny approached the strange metal cylinder, propped against the wall in a forgotten corner of the room. Despite the dust gathered on it, he could tell that it was newer than anything else in the home. The metal still gleamed, and the design flowed and curved in ways that made it look like it was from the future, instead of the past. It was taller than Danny, probably eight feet at least, and he could see what looked like normal circuitry attached to the same green and black metal that belonged to the Invaders. Trying to keep his voice steady, he called to Legacy, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this thing? Just another weird trophy from the war?¡± His mentor turned from his own staring contest with the long-dead Invader, and glanced at the unusual object. ¡°Oh, just one of Tecnico¡¯s stupid toys,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°I found it in a raid a while back. If that prick wants it he can come get it himself. For all I know it¡¯s a goddamned nuclear bomb, so I couldn¡¯t just leave it lying around. You have no idea how much random garbage that guy¡¯s left all over the world.¡± Danny nodded, then moved away, trying not to let his interest show. ¡°Should we get back? It would be nice to make it to the Tower without going quite as fast as we did on the way here.¡± Legacy laughed, ¡°Sure, Kid. This is a place for ghosts anyway. Let¡¯s go.¡± He started to leave, but turned and spat on the ground in front of the enormous chunk of Invader, his expression like nothing Danny had ever seen on the man. Then he simply walked out of the lab as if nothing had happened. Danny followed him hastily, trying not to let his excitement show. He needed to get back to civilization. He needed to get a message to Vincent. He needed to tell him the impossible news. That wasn¡¯t just any toy, it was the barrel of a very unusual and specific gun. Danny had found his piece of the weapon. Chapter 43: The Best Available Do you remember when the NGG formed, James? We were there. Everyone was so earnest. We thought they were our hope for the future. Danny was sitting in the deserted common room, the cozy armchair cradling him gently and threatening to put him back to sleep. Despite Legacy getting them home past dark, he¡¯d still woken up early. There was a lot on his mind. The weapon, of course, and contacting Vincent, but more than that. He leaned back in the chair, looking around at a room for young people, clearly designed by old people. It was a fairly large room, with several couches, a couple of small tables, and some games. Danny was getting pretty good at ping pong. The walls were gray, the NGG¡¯s favorite color, but almost entirely covered in posters of famous supers. There was even a picture of the Great Hero, though Danny partly saw the man as two distinct people at this point. It wasn¡¯t a proper pose, just a shot of the legend staring off into the distance, dressed¨Cas always¨Cin relatively plain clothes, and his long coat. Was he the Great Hero, or simply James Synder at that moment? Was he saving the world or sacrificing millions to save millions more? The duality of the myth and the man felt like a reflection of all the conflicts Danny felt within himself. He was Danny Mackenzie, Mimic and fugitive, spy and infiltrator looking to take down the NGG. He was Daniel Summers, Power Shaper and struggling Young Infinity trainee, and ward to the last real Hero this world had. He was also a kid who¡¯d been abandoned by his parents, easily replaced by a new child he¡¯d never met. Worse, he was a coward who hid behind anything that seemed powerful. Vincent, Legacy, even his own abilities. Hell, even being a Mimic at all is basically just professional hiding. He sighed, thinking back to his conversation with Legacy, and the realization that he¡¯d been using possibly the most versatile power set on the planet as a safety blanket. Danny wasn¡¯t sure what to do with all these revelations, he¡¯d never been big on introspection before, but he knew what he wanted, and maybe that would be enough for now. Needing a break from all the big thoughts, he used his KD to turn on the oversized monitor integrated into the wall, and started browsing for anything interesting. He was surprised to find a Veridicus broadcast in progress, and quickly tuned in. He¡¯d expected to find those feeds blocked, like that at the Farm, but apparently Infinity Tower had more of a ¡®know your enemy¡¯ approach. The so-called revolutionary was in his usual setup, sitting alone at a desk in a dark room. He was dressed all in black, as usual, with only the red X crossing over his mask catching the dim light at all. There were differences, however, which seemed to have been appearing slowly since they escaped the farm, but ramped up in the last couple of months. It was hard to dismiss the man as just another conspiracy nut these days. He was calmer, almost subdued compared to his early days. He¡¯d also gone from delivering the news that the NGG kept hidden, to talking about fighting back in every broadcast. He even seemed to dress better. Danny knew that Arthur had managed to contact the guy, and that Vincent was using his name to carve out a piece of the NTC. As a cover, I think? Vincent¡¯s plans are so confusing. It seemed like they might have taken it further, because someone was clearly doing everything they could to make this guy believable. Respectable, even. Danny and Lucia had teased Vincent for years while he quoted this guy¡¯s ravings, even as he managed to slowly amass a few million followers. Now, though, that number was growing rapidly, and word around the tower was that the NGG genuinely might be searching for him. Veridicus had always ended his broadcasts by claiming ¡®they¡¯ were close to catching him, now they truly might be. Hell, the guy looks like he¡¯s lost weight. Maybe he really is running. After a long moment of intense staring, Veridicus finally spoke to the camera, his voice muffled under the mask, but understandable. ¡°Greetings, my fellow revolutionaries. Veridicus is before you once again, as you can see. You¡¯ve surely noticed that my broadcasts have become more frequent, and perhaps even surmised the reason for that.¡± He leaned back in his chair, the pro-revolution graffiti on the wall behind him seeming doubly bright and colorful by contrast to the dark, and surprisingly ominous figure. ¡°The work we do is important, my friends. We spread the truth, we shine a light on the lies of the NGG. We stand as one to shout that their tyranny will not be tolerated! ¡°So why more broadcasts? Because the revolution has begun. There are more of us every day, and the NGG can no longer hide the war that we¡¯ve been fighting in secret for so long. More of the disgusting Power Farms rise up every day, as brave young Adepts throw down their Gamma and turn on their captors. ¡°The Cult of the Mind disrupts NGG operations wherever they can. The oppressors¡¯ armies are starving for their doses of that hated, controlling drug as their supply lines crumble. So-called independent Governments are revealed as the NGG puppets that they truly are. ¡°But,¡± Veridicus leaned forward, arms reaching toward the camera, ¡°the real news is you. True victory and the freedom it buys will only come when the world rises up together to reject our overlords, and the real soldiers will always be those of you watching this at home, refusing to believe their lies. ¡°I see you. I see all of you. When you refuse to send your children to be their slaves. When you stand together, and ignore their demands that you turn on one another. When you wake up every day, and choose not to be their tools. You are the revolution, my friends. And make no mistake¡­someday soon, we will march.¡± He leaned back, steepling his fingers. ¡°The day is approaching, revolutionaries. Stay strong. Support each other. Refuse the Gamma. Refute their lies. We¡¯re in this together.¡± The feed went dark, and Danny felt a chill. The only thing ¡®war¡¯ had ever meant to him was the invasion. Hearing of someone recruiting for another one seemed impossible to wrap his head around. Noticing the time, he stood up. He needed to get to the dead drop and leave his message for Vincent, then make it back before training started. Stretching, he moved toward the door, then paused, taking one last look at the Great Hero. Which side would you have been on? *** When Danny made it back to the tower, it was immediately clear that something was wrong. He shakily jumped from his conjured sphere, and looked around the Hub in confusion. People were scrambling in every direction, and one of the transport jets was rising from the hangar. Danny raced to the training area when he spotted bright colors. Bright colors usually meant supers. The rest of the trainees were assembled, and Mrs. Gibson seemed to be briefing them on something. Danny slid to a halt, barely stopping before he ran into Gary. ¡°Trainee Summers, there you are. Have you been informed of the situation?¡± ¡°No Ma¡¯am, I was out doing some flying practice before training. What¡¯s going on?¡± The Chief administrator seemed torn between wanting to continue her briefing, and likely reprimand Danny for joyriding. Her blue business suit contrasted sharply with her dark skin as she angled her tablet toward him after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Graviton. He¡¯s an exceptionally dangerous Villain that hasn¡¯t surfaced in years. Not since the last time he robbed a convoy of Gamma.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The image on the tablet was classic Supervillain. He was one of the old ones, around for decades and with more complex powers than you tended to see nowadays. It was his costume that caught the eye, however. A tight, dark purple suit was covered by heavy steel plates in key locations. His helmet, hands, and feet each had ridiculously oversized armor, almost comical. ¡°What¡¯s with that outfit?¡± Danny asked. ¡°As I was just explaining: he has a hybrid power set. Extreme strength meets gravity fields. Anything he can hit you with will weigh hundreds of pounds, and he can increase that by a factor of ten¨Cmaybe even twenty. He¡¯s truly, and demonstrably deadly.¡± ¡°We can handle it,¡± Nell insisted, already wearing her red Firestrike suit. ¡°Erica will handle the heavy stuff, and Gary can counteract the gravity. That leaves Charles and I free to take him down.¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle that much weight,¡± Erica said. She was wearing her own black and yellow hero suit, with her dreadlocks pushed back with a yellow band. ¡°He¡¯s gotta be Fission level by now, right?¡± ¡°Our intel suggests he¡¯s stuck at the Reactive level due to his hybrid nature, and how little Gamma he must be using to stay underground as long as he has been,¡± Mrs. Gibson answered. ¡°That¡¯s still double Reactive, though,¡± Gary said, looking nervous. He didn¡¯t have his own suit yet, though everyone assumed he¡¯d try to copy Herald¡¯s look someday, she being his mentor. For now his black training suit was all Danny had seen him in, though his Korean features were always hidden behind thick goggles. His telekinetic powers granted him flight, but he couldn¡¯t stand the wind getting in his eyes. ¡°Just because I can lift things doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m an automatic counter for Gravity powers,¡± he added. ¡°And what about me?¡± Danny asked. He knew he wasn¡¯t at the level of the others, but you didn¡¯t just sideline Legacy¡¯s ward¡­right? ¡°If we need the most powerful walking liability in the country, we¡¯ll call you,¡± Nell said. Danny glared. ¡°Fine. How about Legacy then? Or Herald and Shockwave¨Cthe grown up versions I mean.¡± Charles¨Cor Baby Shockwave as Danny thought of him¨Clooked uncomfortable. His powers had actually destroyed several suits. Apparently Tecnico had made the original Shockwave¡¯s suit material himself, and no one could replicate it. That meant Charles often ended up bursting out of his shirt during training, leaving his impressively muscular upper body bare. The fact that this never seemed to happen to his pants was highly suspicious to Danny, and partly why he also called the guy ¡®Douchewave¡¯ on occasion. ¡°Those two don¡¯t¡­leave the tower anymore,¡± Douchewave said, before running a hand through his short red hair. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid Legacy has been dispatched to another emergency,¡± Mrs. Gibson added. ¡°Frankly I¡¯m not happy to even be discussing it with you five, but Graviton has a dark history of civilian casualties, and the Elites have no chance against powers of his level.¡± ¡°We can handle it,¡± Nell said. ¡°He¡¯ll be tough, but his power set doesn¡¯t offer much defense. Enough heat and shockwaves and we can put him down.¡± Mrs. Gibson looked at Nell for some time, then she moved on to examine them one by one, before settling on Danny. ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± she asked, and he wondered if it was his supposedly traumatic past or his continued accidents that had her more concerned. Probably a healthy mix of the two. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Nell said in a near-shriek before he could answer. ¡°He¡¯s as dangerous as Graviton!¡± ¡°Yes. He is,¡± the Chief Administrator answered, looking at Nell pointedly. ¡°Of course I¡¯m coming,¡± Danny said, trying to sound as confident as possible. ¡°This is exactly what you want me for. If I¡¯m going to break something, it should be this jackass, not the tower. And worse comes to worse, I¡¯ll just hide in a shield and let him pound the hell out of me, while you give him a terrible burning sensation.¡± Nell rolled her eyes. It was possible Danny had used a variation of that joke before. Maybe a few dozen times. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Mrs. Gibson said. ¡°The transport plane will take you to him. He¡¯s near the old border between the US and Canada; we can have you there in under an hour.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°Let me be clear. Your job is to keep him away from that Gamma. Elites are dying right now for that very purpose. But you are not to throw your lives away. Distract, irritate, misdirect, but stay alive.¡± ¡°We hear you, Commander,¡± Nell said. Commander? Shit I¡¯ve been missing something again, haven¡¯t I? ¡°If we can take him out, we will. But the Gamma¨C¡± ¡°And civilian lives,¡± Gary cut in. Nell turned her glare on him. ¡°The Gamma and civilian lives are the priority. We¡¯ll get the job done, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Just be careful,¡± the ¡®Commander¡¯ said, seemingly genuinely worried. And then before Danny knew it, they were airborne, on their way to fight a murderous, Gamma addicted Supervillain. This is fine, he thought. Somehow, this is fine. *** As promised, they landed about forty minutes later. Danny had spent the whole trip in one long internal pep-talk, and he was starting to resent the unbridled optimism of his own inner voice. The five young hero wannabes disembarked in a field outside a small town near the old border. It wasn¡¯t too far from the Vermont Power Farm Danny had escaped from, and he had an odd sense of being home that he wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable with. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Nell called, and she sprinted toward a tree-lined road. The others followed wordlessly, and Danny wished there had been some debate as to who would lead. The truth was that Nell, while abrasive, and rude, and arrogant, and sarcastic, and self-involved, and temperamental, and cocky, and super hot, and¡­where was I going with this? Right. She had still shown more leadership than the rest of them had. Soon they were sprinting down the street at top speed¡­well, Danny¡¯s top speed, as the slowest of them. The rest had all reached Reactive rank, and the power boost that came with it still put them beyond him physically. Eventually Gary¨Cwho was flying¨Cpicked him up so they could increase their pace. It was only slightly humiliating. Danny had almost tried to fly himself, but anything faster than a jog tended to end in crashes. Soon the small town came into view, and evidence of the battle became apparent. The road had been torn to pieces, and craters littered the area. ¡°Gravity fields?¡± Gary suggested as they slowed their breakneck pace. ¡°Likely,¡± Nell agreed. ¡°Be ready everyone. They must be ahead.¡± Sure enough, sounds of gunfire and battle could soon be heard as they entered the town. It was quieter than they¡¯d have liked, actually, as it meant that the fighting was almost over. They moved down the main street, passing old warehouses and factories, before finally reaching what passed for a downtown¨Clittle more than some two and three story buildings crammed together near a couple of traffic lights. Danny wasn¡¯t sure how many people still lived in a place like this, but the town had likely taken its last breath after this incident. Several buildings had collapsed, and a number of trees and light posts had fallen into the street. A clocktower caught his eye, as it was taller than most of the remaining structures, and made from exceptionally red brick. A pickup truck was sticking out from its side about twenty feet off the ground, and the tower looked like a tree that had been sawn nearly in half, but refused to collapse. Finally they spotted what they had been looking for. A trail of crushed vehicles and unmoving bodies in black tactical gear led to a man nearly as big as Berserker Bob. Graviton was dressed exactly as the photos Danny had seen, and he was bent over a massive metallic cube that looked like a portable vault. He was trying to pry open a door that was clearly locked. He either heard them or sensed their presence somehow, and quickly dropped the enormous cube that Danny hadn¡¯t even realized the Villain had been holding. He slowly turned to face them, and despite the terror building in his gut, Danny couldn¡¯t decide if the man¡¯s crazy helmet was silly or scary. Graviton looked out at them from a tiny slot in a huge sphere, nearly as big as the giant¡¯s own torso. Without speaking he took a single step forward before the whole world felt wrong¨Cheavy¨Cand then that massive, ridiculous helmet crashed into the ground, and a crater burst into existence easily five feet deep, and wider than the street they were standing on. Right, Danny thought, scary it is. Chapter 44: Graviton Those early days, it seemed like it might be okay. The NGG was what we wanted: real people taking care of a broken world. When did it all change? An impossible weight pressed down on Danny, feeling all the more disturbing because he couldn¡¯t see any trace of the Villain¡¯s power at work. Graviton¡¯s initial attack had sent them flying backward as the ground warped beneath them, then left them flattened against the ground as the increased gravity pushed down on them. Still, Danny was impressed by how quickly the group of young Heroes burst into action. The Villain had turned after his attack, apparently dismissing the group as no real threat, and moving back to the large container of Gamma. Erica capitalized on this mistake, using her enhanced strength to resist Graviton¡¯s power, and in a moment she was back on her feet. She raced to a nearby street light, picked it up¨Cseemingly without a struggle¨Cand cleverly swung it over her head, using the added gravity to increase the speed and force as it crashed down onto the Villain¡¯s odd, spherical helmet. The gravity returned to normal as the armored purple giant was knocked to one knee, and the rest of the team quickly regained their feet while Erica charged in for the attack. Nell was shouting orders even as she gathered flames in her hands. ¡°Everyone spread out! Gary, do what you can to counter his gravity. Charles, every opening you get, I want to see shockwaves blasting away his armor, it¡¯s clearly as much a weapon as it is defense.¡± True to her own words, she immediately began sending blast after blast of raw, concentrated flame at Graviton''s massive helmet. Thankfully Erica was eclipsed in size by the massive brute, and it was easy enough for her to stay low, swinging furiously while the two ranged Heroes aimed high. Every time the Villain tried to line up a clear swing, shockwave, fire, or both would crash into him, sending his attacks off target. ¡°Where do you want me?¡± Danny asked desperately, gathering his shield around himself instinctively. ¡°Damn it, Summers, just protect Gary!¡± Nell called out as Graviton hurled a chunk of destroyed road in her direction. Whatever, Danny thought, I¡¯ll protect Gary so hard. He charged back to the black-clad mentalist, who was clearly concentrating, a glare locked on the battlefield. Danny expanded his shield so it wrapped around them both, then tried to match his teammate¡¯s focus. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be ready for another gravity attack?¡± Danny asked, feeling as useless as he had during capture the flag. ¡°He¡¯s using his powers non-stop,¡± Gary said through gritted teeth. ¡°Let me concentrate; this isn¡¯t exactly what telekinesis is for. I¡¯m basically pushing everyone upward as hard as their own body weight is pushing them down.¡± He grunted in strain. ¡°This is insane, we¡¯re not ready for this.¡± Danny did as he was told and stopped distracting the guy. Is there some way I can help? Can my powers do what his do, push everyone up somehow? He abandoned the idea almost immediately, knowing that the unfortunate truth was that he¡¯d likely just hurt his allies¡­or blast them a hundred feet in the air or something. Gary was far better suited to precision work like this. Letting out a sigh, Danny tried to watch the battle. He was determined to be valuable to the team, even if that just meant standing between Graviton and Young Infinity. It was odd watching a true clash between supers play out in front of him. He¡¯d seen plenty of feeds of the different Hero groups fighting with Villains over the years, but they were always so quick, so edited. This was¡­visceral. Nell and Charles were moving constantly, as the Graviton took every free moment to hurl something in their direction. He was obviously irritated by their attacks, even if his armor didn¡¯t look damaged. Danny noticed the few remaining trees which grew from gaps in the nearby sidewalks were bent nearly in half from the tremendous gravity. An abandoned car even slammed into the ground as its tires, or maybe the axels gave way to its increased weight. It was the fight with Erica that really captured Danny, however. They were both meant to be Reactive level, but you wouldn¡¯t know it from watching. The diminutive yellow and black clad Hero was dodging and deflecting attacks, and even landing the occasional strike. But from how Graviton was reacting, they didn¡¯t look like two comparably strong heroes knocking each other around, it looked like a large man fighting a small girl. Danny prompted his K-Device to scan the Villain again. It had displayed an error when they first arrived so he¡¯d ignored it, but now he had a dangerous suspicion and just kept trying. ¡°Gary, what does your KD register Graviton as?¡± He turned back to see his charge was wiping a bloody nose, and his eyes were turning red as well. ¡°Says nothing. Errors,¡± he managed. Danny considered. His own ocular KD was something Emi had gotten directly from K-Tech, and she¡¯d even fiddled with it herself in preparation for his mission. He had nothing else to do, so he just kept prompting its scanning feature, choosing to trust the Tech who¡¯d proven so reliable both in and out of the Farm. The minutes ticked by. Ten scans. Charles sent another round of shockwaves before diving behind loose brick from a ruined building. Error. Graviton threw a car in answer. Twenty scans. Nell moved like liquid. Her flames never seemed to stop, no matter how the Villain dodged or tried to control the battle. Error. One moment she seemed dangerously close to the melee, the next she¡¯d managed to jump onto a second floor balcony to fire dowards. Thirty scans. Every time Graviton managed to force the team back, he would turn and push the Gamma vault further down the road. Danny finally noticed a large truck further down the road, its cargo area more than big enough to house the stolen Gamma. He was about to call that out when his K-Device blinked with new information. One of the scans had succeeded. Class: Super Strength / Gravity-Manipulator (Hybrid) Rank: Fission (A) / Reactive (B) Danny blinked as his mouth ran dry. Fission Rank. He¡¯d never seen one in person¨Cthat he was aware of at least. A number of the NGG Hero teams must have reached that level, but it was still rare. The amount of Gamma that it would take¡­he looked at the enormous vault Graviton was slowly pushing down the street, designed to supply an army of Elites. Yup, that might do it. Snapping out of it, Danny opened his mouth to warn the team, but even if he said something, what could they do? Erica must have already realized the man¡¯s strength was well beyond her own. Maybe it would be okay¨C Danny suddenly felt lighter, and when he glanced back Gary was letting out a relieved breath. Please let that be a good thing, he thought as he turned back to the battle. It wasn¡¯t. Graviton was just soaking up the hits as he raised his arms above him. Charles and Nell took the opening to redouble their attacks, but Danny could tell something was wrong. The Villain¡¯s muscles were bulging and straining as they struggled to support his own hands, and the massive, heavy metal gauntlets he wore. Oh shit, he¡¯s turned his gravity on himself. ¡°Erica! Get back, he¡¯s¨C¡± it was too late. She¡¯d moved in to get in as many clean shots as she could. The enormous gauntlets dropped onto her like boulders, and the crack of bone was audible, even from where Danny stood more than thirty paces away. Erica dropped like a puppet whose strings had been cut, both shoulders sitting at disturbing angles. Danny took a step forward, wanting to help somehow, but Graviton was faster. He reached down, grabbing Erica by a limp arm. There were more pops and snaps as he whipped her back and forth, her tiny frame weightless in his grasp. Then he hurled her at a building to Danny¡¯s left, where she crashed through a brick wall to crumble into an unmoving heap inside. ¡°Erica?¡± he whispered, his mind not really working. ¡°I have her,¡± Gary said, as the broken and twisted body emerged from the darkness of the building¡¯s interior. ¡°Wrap the shield around her, I can hold her togeth¨CArgh!¡± They both collapsed to the ground as the intense gravity returned, and Erica¡¯s body dropped suddenly, stopping barely an inch from the shattered pavement. The gravity seemed to lessen a moment later, and Danny rushed to his feet while refocusing his shield around the three of them. Gary carefully lowered the injured girl to the ground, grunting as more blood poured from his nose. Danny had to stop himself from looking at her arms, which disturbingly had multiple extra angles. Remarkably, the rest of her body seemed largely intact. Good to be a strength super, he thought, turning back to the battle. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Charles and Nell seemed to have found new reserves of energy after watching their teammate brutalized, and they were blasting the Villain with everything they had. ¡°Careful!¡± Danny called out. ¡°His strength is Fission Rank!¡± ¡°Understood, take care of Erica,¡± came Nell¡¯s voice from his ear, and Danny felt like an idiot for not thinking about the communicators they¡¯d been given. How does anyone think clearly during this kind of insanity? Graviton was back to pushing his prize down the road, seemingly content to ignore the remaining Heroes. Nell suddenly rushed forward, obviously recognizing the mission was close to a failure. She put her hands on the metal of the Gamma Vault¨Cas far from the Villain as possible¨Cand used an ability that Danny had rarely seen in training. The container began to glow, and waves of heat could be seen rising from it. Graviton appeared unbothered. Despite his purple suit now being a scorched ruin, his Fission rank constitution had clearly prevented Nell¡¯s fire from doing much damage. Danny and the Villain were both surprised, however, when the vault began melting through the asphalt of the road, slowing to a crawl even as Graviton pushed with all his prodigious strength. After a moment he let out a furious roar, and even spoke for the first time, yelling at the red-clad Hero in a language Danny didn¡¯t recognize. He moved suddenly, leaping over the Gamma and swinging at Nell with both his massive fists. She was still faster, if barely, and she danced backward, dodging not just the villain, but between the endless rubble, cars, and bodies of slain Elites. It seemed inevitable that her luck would run out, and sure enough she eventually found herself boxed in between the wrecks of two cars. To her credit, her flames never let up, lighting up Graviton like a sun as the fire spilled over him. A massive hand pushed through the flames, reaching for Nell with unstoppable promise. ¡°Nell!¡± Charles called out, as he revealed a second ability of his own. Danny had seen this one in training, but never directed at a teammate for obvious reasons. He was soaring through the air, his body a vibrating blur as his power turned him into a deadly projectile. He slammed into Graviton from the side, and though the giant only stumbled a few paces, it was enough for Nell to sprint out of reach. Unfortunately for Charles, that left him alone with the Villain, and he soon collapsed as his attack ended. Nell hadn¡¯t forgotten him though, and fire erupted in Graviton¡¯s face as he swung wildly at the retreating Charles. Then the gravity intensified once more, and Danny heard a cry of pain from Gary in response. Charles collapsed to a crawl, barely managing to drag his heavy body forward. Nell¡¯s flames cut out as she too dropped to the ground, only a few paces from her downed companion. Graviton had clearly been pushed too far as he strode forward, murder in his barely visible eyes. Once more he straightened and braced his back, and in a heartbeat his spherical helmet crashed forward. Charles managed to roll onto his side, but even a glancing blow was devastating, as his body was alternately crushed against the pavement, and then thrown into a nearby car by the heaving ground. He was still moving, somehow alive, but no sound came out when he opened his mouth, terror clear on his face as he writhed in agony. Graviton ignored him, instead moving toward Nell, who¡¯d been thrown toward Danny by the attack. She was close enough that Danny was able to extend his shield around her, before dragging her back toward the group. Despite not being the direct target, she hadn¡¯t come through the attack unscathed, and splintered bone had pushed through the red material covering her right leg. She was groaning in pain, and Danny looked from her to Charles, feeling an intense sense of helplessness. Graviton was coming. Danny felt his own weight increasing as the giant approached his shield. Graviton was a mess. Fire had burned away everything except his massive helmet and gauntlets, as well as a few scraps of armor meant to protect his more sensitive areas. His flesh was scorched as well, his once tan skin was now a mass of black intermixed with burns seeping blood. Danny desperately tried to think as the furious monster approached. ¡°Summers,¡± Gary said in a weak voice. ¡°What do we do?¡± Danny glanced back, and recoiled as he took in the state of the Hero. His face was a mess of blood, and it leaked from nose, ears, and even his eyes. He was clearly giving everything he had. Danny looked from him to the others. They¡¯d all given everything they had, everyone but him. Without answering, Danny turned back to Graviton. ¡°You win!¡± he called. ¡°We give up. The Gamma is yours. Just take it and go!¡± The giant didn¡¯t deign to acknowledge the call, he just approached the shield with an unhurried stride. ¡°Please!¡± Danny called again. ¡°We¡¯re just kids, man! You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Nothing. The man stopped just outside the shield, its green light reflected in his now warped and partially melted helmet. Without another word, he began to raise his arms, and Danny felt the gravity lessen as the man¡¯s muscles bulged and flexed as the gauntlets rose slowly into the air. It¡¯s okay. He can¡¯t break your shield. Nothing can break your sh¨C Danny didn¡¯t see the strike, he just felt his knees crash into the ground, and he tasted fresh blood in his mouth. Looking up, he saw that the shield still held, but it was cracked. He¡¯d never seen that before. He¡¯d certainly never felt anything like that before. He could have sworn those fists had hit him, as if something inside of him had cracked along with the shield. ¡°I¡­can¡¯t¡­¡± Gary muttered from behind him and Danny saw the man was laying on the ground, one hand still held up as he desperately tried to add the last of his strength to their defense. Again the gravitational force began to gather around the Villain, and Danny threw more power into the shield before those immense fists slammed down like meteors. He managed not to collapse this time, but he felt something snap within him. The shield was covered in spider web cracks now, and the gauntlets had actually made it partly through, their gleaming metal only inches from Danny. It¡¯s over, he thought, looking down to see Gary unmoving¨Cunconscious or dead, he didn¡¯t know. His shield had finally broken. He¡¯d met someone that wouldn¡¯t let him hide like a turtle in its shell. He looked up woodenly at Graviton, as those massive arms slowly began to rise one final time. As Danny coughed out more blood, his mind turned unbidden to Vincent. He remembered his friend coughing blood onto the library floor after being struck by Berserker Bob. He¡¯d been in even worse shape on the night that crazy super guard had tried to kill him. He¡¯d pushed his powers past the breaking point to save them from the Beta addicts. How did he always do it? Danny wondered. How did he always move forward when he should have laid down and died? His mind turned to Legacy then, and what he¡¯d told Danny about his own early days, and how he¡¯d met his problems head on. Those massive arms were still rising, as if in slow motion. Danny looked from Erica to Gary, then finally to Nell, who was conscious, and staring back at him. There was a challenge in her gaze. Well, what are you really? A fool, a Hero, just Legacy¡¯s pet project? Her eyes seemed to ask the same questions that were screaming in his mind. Looking back at the mountain of a Villain before him, Danny made a decision that he¡¯d been avoiding for years. The truth was that he didn¡¯t know exactly who he was. Hero, fool, rebel, Villain, even? All of them? Time would tell. But today, as he let the shield drop and pulled all that power into a single point in front of him, he made a choice. Vincent, Legacy, or anyone else¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not just a sidekick,¡± he whispered. As Graviton¡¯s fists came down, Danny¡¯s power exploded outward, crashing into the giant¡¯s stomach and sending him soaring backward, skidding over the ground and finally slamming into a car. The Villain started to regain his feet almost immediately. It hadn¡¯t been enough, but that was okay. Danny was enough. He was on top of Graviton a moment later, his fists crashing into the man, waves of energy and force bursting outward with every strike. This man had killed who knows how many people for this stupid drug. He¡¯d torn Danny¡¯s team apart, and now he was ready to slaughter them for being an inconvenience. Danny wouldn¡¯t let it happen. His right fist slammed down. His anger was always just beneath the surface. His left fist cannoned into the Villain¡¯s chest like a battering ram. But that anger was always there. Right fist. His family had thrown him away. Left fist. Cracking bone. The NGG had made him a slave. Right fist. His own blood was pouring down his face. The Farm had tried to break him. Left fist. Graviton was reaching upward. He was living a lie. He was a living lie. His right fist was swallowed by an enormous gauntlet. He almost let his team die, because he was a coward. His left fist came down, but not on the Villains chest. He aimed for the tiny, bent gap in the ridiculous sphere of a helmet the man was wearing. He threw every scrap of power he had left into that attack, and he didn¡¯t blunt it. He didn¡¯t keep it safe. He didn¡¯t let it be silly. He formed a blade of shimmering green energy, and he stabbed with all his strength, holding nothing back. There was no sound as the man died. Danny probably wouldn¡¯t have heard it over the pounding of blood in his ears anyway. The grip on his arm just went slack as the Villain convulsed and shook beneath him. And then he was still. Then it was over. Danny had won. He got shakily to his feet, looking down at the man he¡¯d just killed. He watched with detached fascination at the blood dripping from his own face down onto the villain¡¯s still body. Darkness creeped in at the edge of his vision, and then finally swallowed him entirely. Chapter 45: Recipe for Destruction Where did it go wrong? When did they give up? When did you give up? What did I do wrong? ¡°...I¡¯m sorry Vince, I need some time. To heal. To figure out¡­how to get away again. I¡¯ll send you a message when I¡¯m ready to go back to the Hero¡¯s island. Stay safe, buddy. Tell Bob he looks like a giant gorilla butler.¡± The message cut out there, as it had the last three times that Vincent watched it. He leaned back in his chair at the conference table, idly looking around the central chamber of the once-cult headquarters, finding himself wishing it had windows to let in sunlight. Even the green-tinged light of a typical, stormy NTC day might lighten his mood. Emi was in her workshop corner, and Robert was eating a terrifying amount of food in the small kitchen area, giving the open room a vague sense of being lived in, contrasted harshly against its sterile concrete walls and numerous empty chairs and desks. Vincent rolled an Invader relic across his knuckles, trying to wrap his ill-suited mind around the oddness of Danny¡¯s words. It had spawned a complex series of emotions for someone so used to operating at a steady baseline. An excited, yet somber message from his friend and reluctant spy, announcing that against all odds he¡¯d found the piece of the weapon. It was followed only a few days later by another message, this time from a far more exhausted and toned down version of Danny, explaining that they¡¯d need to wait. The circumstances weren¡¯t what bothered Vincent. Danny had fought and won against a powerful Villain, and barely survived his victory. He¡¯d been forced to kill for the first time, pushed his powers beyond what his body could handle, and hit Reactive rank at the same time. It was understandable that he needed time to recover. There was something off about it though, but it was beyond Vincent¡¯s abilities to understand exactly what. ¡°I need Lucia,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°For what purpose?¡± Arthur asked. He¡¯d been sitting on a small couch behind Vincent, so quiet and focused on his reports as to go unnoticed. Vincent spun in his chair to address the Guardian. ¡°I¡¯m still used to relying on her to understand people. Have we heard from her lately?¡± ¡°Another message this morning, but once again it¡¯s for Veridicus. She¡¯s been sending more and more lately, trying to micromanage everything from sentence structure to posture. Still, I can¡¯t question the results. Not only are the followers rising, but there¡¯s reports of minor rebellions every week.¡± ¡°She¡¯s certainly validating our trust in her on that front,¡± Vincent said. ¡°I just wish she would give us an update on her primary mission.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Arthur said flatly. ¡°Though we should acknowledge that her mission is an extraordinary one. We weren¡¯t able to provide her with much intelligence or resources, just advantageous circumstances at best.¡± ¡°True, I just have a hard time being so removed from the operation. We¡¯re trying to coordinate multiple time tables, while being in control of only one.¡± He let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Danny. Have you managed to locate the island?¡± ¡°It was a unique challenge, but I believe I¡¯ve narrowed it down,¡± he answered, then came over and projected an image of a series of islands in the center of the table. ¡°It should be somewhere here. The irony is that certain people still visit regularly. Mr. Mackenzie was correct that it¡¯s a canine sanctuary, and there¡¯s quite a bit of ongoing logistics to keep the animals fed and healthy.¡± ¡°That seems like it should be easy to trace, what¡¯s the challenge?¡± ¡°Great Hero mysticism and power,¡± Arthur answered as he pulled up another image. It was a large rectangle of blue energy, sitting in an otherwise bland room full of crates and boxes. There was an odd incongruity caused by the remarkable display of power housed in what appeared to be a banal warehouse. ¡°Evidently the Great Hero created portals of some kind in various key locations to connect to the island. This led to a level of secrecy around its true location, however that was several decades ago, and people talk.¡± ¡°It seems unlikely that traveling to this island by way of what must be carefully regulated portals¡­¡± Vincent paused, considering how quickly his own mind had accepted the Great Hero¡¯s ability to create such wonders. ¡°I assume we¡¯d be better served with a more traditional approach?¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m looking into securing appropriate transportation as we speak.¡± ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s unlikely we¡¯d be able to enter the Sanctum without Danny¡¯s assistance, but I¡¯d like to be ready as soon as possible, just in case.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Villari. Will that be all?¡± ¡°For now, I need to speak with Emi before she leaves for K-Tech.¡± Vincent stood up, straightening his black suit as he did so. He made his way to the corner of the room where Emi had a number of tables lined up, each stacked with various components and tools. As he walked, several Apparitions broke away from him, one grabbing a chair, another a drink, leaving the items waiting for him as he came up next to the Tech. ¡°Those things are so, so very creepy,¡± Emi said without looking up. ¡°But convenient,¡± he answered. ¡°Now that I can control them directly, I need the practice.¡± He¡¯d recently hit the skill¡¯s midpoint evolution thanks to his continual clashes with the gangs of NTC. Fewer dared risk direct confrontation after his display in the Pit, but there were always exceptions. ¡°So what did you want to talk about? More breakthroughs?¡± In answer, Emi pushed a piece of complex tech toward him. Vincent couldn¡¯t make sense of it, as it looked more like the internal workings of something than a functional device. Circuits and wires were visible, though many were disconnected and out of place. ¡°What am I looking at?¡± ¡°Something suspicious,¡± Emi answered cryptically. ¡°This is one piece now, but it started as over a dozen components small enough for me to smuggle out of K-Tech. I only realized they were connected by chance. One of the circuit boards was constructed in a way I¡¯d never seen before¨Cmore Tecnico magic¨Cso I recognized it when I found its other half.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m not certain I understand your concern. You got this all from discarded tech, what¡¯s significant about it being a piece of a larger whole?¡± Emi took a few moments before answering. ¡°Any number of people might see or interact with this trash before I do. Anything more obviously worth salvaging tends to be caught earlier¨Cpeople are always looking for the credit. In order for something to get to me in the basement, it needs to be impressive enough and functional enough not to simply be tossed away. But, it also has to be unremarkable enough to be ignored by everyone else.¡± ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± Vincent answered. ¡°And these components don¡¯t fit those criteria?¡± Emi barked a laugh, shaking her head. ¡°The opposite. Each piece fits those criteria perfectly. They are exactly the kind of thing to be ignored by people who aren¡¯t looking for them, but found by someone who is.¡± Vincent considered what she was implying, then cocked his head. ¡°They all fit that criteria, so they all end up with you, but they¡¯re also all parts of a single device?¡± Emi let out a sigh, ¡°Exactly. And to be fair, maybe there¡¯s a bunch of pieces that didn¡¯t make it all the way to me, but¡­I just have this feeling, you know?¡± ¡°No,¡± Vincent answered. ¡°Intuition, Villari. I feel like there¡¯s something more going on here. Maybe this job is more than just a crappy place for the new people to be hazed. Maybe it¡¯s some kind of puzzle. Like, maybe my manager is actually dumping a specific device into my lap, and if I can spot that, and repair it, I¡¯ll have proven myself somehow.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°That¡¯s¡­excessively elaborate,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like there, Villari. It¡¯s a whole tower full of the smartest, loneliest people on the planet. They have infinite money, nearly infinite time, and very little supervision. Do you think we have some kind of carefully managed human resources department? There¡¯s literally a room no one goes into anymore because it¡¯s filled with acid. Acid!¡± ¡°Where did the acid come fro¨C¡± ¡°No one remembers! They just put up a sign! But forget about that. My point is that riddles and nonsense are genuinely how you get ahead at K-Tech,¡± she finished. ¡°Okay, then this is potentially an opportunity for you to do exactly that. I presume that would increase your access to the tower, and chances of finding the device. In that case: good work.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe¡­¡± she said, staring at the indecipherable collection of technology. Glancing over, she saw that Vincent was still fiddling with an Invader relic. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re collecting those things. You are absolutely going to blow up again.¡± ¡°My apparitions take care of that problem, and normal human physiology clearly doesn¡¯t work with them or they¡¯d have been discovered years ago. Besides, very few of them actually blow up. I still think the one Danny found was meant to create a more manageable blast, but it was overcharged after decades of going unused,¡± Vincent said. ¡°Fine, fine, just don¡¯t test them in here. How many have you figured out?¡± ¡°Three,¡± he said, a touch of pride in his tone. ¡°Perhaps unsurprisingly, two of them are different types of attacks. One uses extreme cold, the other is some kind of forceful shockwave.¡± ¡°Those sound useful, what about the third?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just a light. I¡¯m hoping you can test it for radiation or something else unseen, but if this is the true core of Invader technology, it stands to reason that there will be some normal tools,¡± said Vincent. ¡°Yeah I can borrow some testing gear for work. Nothing here is sensitive enough that I¡¯d be comfortable telling you to carry around a radioactive rock next to your sensitive bits.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyebrows raised and he hastily moved a Relic from his pants pocket into a small box, which he placed on Emi¡¯s work bench. ¡°More interesting is that I think I¡¯m making some sense of the symbols on the Relics. I had assumed it was writing indicating the purpose of the Relic, and now that I¡¯ve seen some of the effects, I¡¯m convinced that¡¯s true. There¡¯s numerous studies on the Network of Invader language, and I think with more study I¡¯ll be able to identify Relics without testing.¡± ¡°Fewer explosions would be ideal,¡± Emi said distractedly, and Vincent sensed he was losing her to the device once more. ¡°Actually I needed to speak with you about more explosions,¡± he said, and her eyes snapped back to his own. ¡°What are you up to now, Villari?¡± she asked. ¡°The Prophecy,¡± he answered simply, knowing she¡¯d need a moment. Emi¡¯s eyes rolled with as much drama as she could manage. ¡°Wonderful. You know how much I love aimless ramblings from a self-described Prophet.¡± Vincent smiled indulgently. ¡°The source is credible, but forget about it for now. I want to talk science.¡± Her eyes narrowed, but she didn¡¯t object. ¡°Indulge me. What happens when powerful supers fight?¡± He cut her off when she immediately defaulted to a sarcastic comment. ¡°I mean scientifically. Two people, saturated with power, using their abilities in life or death situations, what happens?¡± Emi closed her mouth and looked off to one side, clearly thinking. ¡°Gamma bursts,¡± she said at last, then shook her head. ¡°Well, it would only be Gamma if the supers involved were taking the injections, but there¡¯d be Asteroid Radiation coming off of them regardless.¡± Vincent nodded, expecting this. ¡°So¨Cfor the sake of argument¨Cif there was a Prophecy about when the ¡®Gods war in the streets¡¯, what would that ensure?¡± Emi¡¯s jaw clenched in irritation, but she answered. ¡°If there were enough supers fighting, it would mean increased Rad-saturation in a localized area.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my conclusion as well. Here¡¯s another one, ¡®When the Watcher gazes down¡­¡¯ The asteroid is always in orbit, but it¡¯s not geosynchronous. What occurs directly beneath the Watcher at any given time?¡± The Tech¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Increased Rad-saturation.¡± She looked up at him expectantly, and he nodded. ¡°There¡¯s two more. ¡®When the storm rages as never before¡­¡¯ and ¡®When the Gamma burns¡­¡¯¡± ¡°The larger the storm, the more saturation. And burning Gamma¨Cwhile remarkably wasteful¨Cabsolutely increases the saturation even further. Do you think that¡¯s what the Prophecy is about? Some kind of recipe for the perfect combination of events to get the maximum possible amount of Asteroid radiation in one place? For what purpose?¡± Vincent smiled, leaning forward to tap on the blueprints Emi had hung on the wall¨Cthose of the mysterious weapon. ¡°¡®When the Watcher gazes down¡­upon its end,¡± he said, finishing the full line of the prophecy. ¡°A weapon would require an enormous amount of power to destroy the asteroid. I think we know where that energy is supposed to come from.¡± Emi once again paused to consider. ¡°I¡¯ll concede that it¡¯s possible, and I suppose finding the prophecy in the same book as the blueprints lends it some credence. Frankly I¡¯d be happy to believe that the prophecy was actually just a weird, convoluted tech-manual.¡± ¡°It may be exactly that,¡± Vincent said, shrugging. ¡°Regardless, I believe we need to prepare for these circumstances. The first part is easy¨CI found a night where the Watcher is over NTC and one of the largest Radstorms is expected. It¡¯s just over four months away.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t give us much time. We¡¯re missing basically everything to make this plan work,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯ll happen again in another year or so, but I¡¯d prefer not to wait that long,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°That means we have another objective in the meantime.¡± ¡°We have to arrange for hundreds of supers to go to war in the middle of NTC?¡± Emi said, shaking her head. ¡°Maybe four months is too much time for such an easy task.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, it sounds impossible. Why, we¡¯d need every gang and Villain in the city to come out at once. How could we possibly arrange that? Who would they even listen to?¡± Vincent had been practicing sarcasm. He didn¡¯t care for it, but for some reason it kept Emi¡¯s attention. Her mouth fell open. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been doing all this? I thought you wanted to give Veridicus his own little empire.¡± Vincent smiled, ¡°Provided we account for the other details, Veridicus will make an announcement that an unprecedented shipment of Gamma will be delivered to NTC on that particular night. With unprecedented NGG protection, of course.¡± ¡°If you can make them believe it, that would be just about the only thing that could possibly make every one of them slink out of their hiding places,¡± Emi agreed. Her eyes narrowed a second later, ¡°Wait, this whole discussion began with explosions. How exactly do you plan to set fire to Gamma? Is there actually a shipment?¡± ¡°No, and even if there were, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Thankfully, K-Tech provides. I was hoping you could build us a few bombs.¡± Emi immediately seemed to grasp what he was suggesting. ¡°The Gamma pipelines? Are you insane? Those things are pumping Gamma from all over the State. Every drop that a K-Tech collector is able to pull from the atmosphere is in those pipes. It¡¯s too much¨Ceven for the storage facility beneath the bay¨Cthat means those pipes are full.¡± ¡°Sounds like a lot of Gamma to burn,¡± Vincent replied. ¡°Gamma explodes, Villari! We¡¯d have to create some kind of rupture that was both small enough not to destroy the city, but big enough to release exactly the right amount of Gamma to burn with the saturation you want!¡± ¡°Wonderful, I knew you¡¯d understand,¡± Vincent said, still smiling. ¡°Damn it, Villari! How come all of your plans involve me building technical solutions to impossible problems?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the Tech, and you¡¯re highly reliable,¡± he said. Then his tone became a lot more somber. ¡°Besides, I stopped you from using an explosion once, and everything went wrong. Consider this an acknowledgement of my own past mistakes.¡± Emi threw up her arms while flopping back in her chair. ¡°I¡­fine. I don¡¯t even know what to say to all that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything,¡± Vincent replied, turning and walking back toward Arthur. ¡°Just do what you do best. You have my full confidence.¡± He could feel Emi glaring at his back. ¡°And exactly what are you going to do?¡± she asked. ¡°Great question. Our timeline is clear, and we have one piece of the device accounted for, and you¡¯re on your way to finding the second. I¡¯m going to go find out about the final piece.¡± Vincent reached the table and addressed the Guardian, who looked up. ¡°Arthur, get me to London. I need to visit my sister.¡± Chapter 46: An American Specter in London Ellie and Enzo were always so sure of themselves. So sure they knew better. What if they were right? Vincent stared straight ahead as the small car drove through London. He barely registered the NGG propaganda that had replaced any semblance of the former culture that had once permeated this old city. His mind was on his destination, and how he¡¯d handle being in a building with a hundred Psychics. His hand absently went up to fiddle with the psy-shield that Emi had acquired for him, knowing that it alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. Mist, mist, mist, he thought to himself, trying to revive the old habit as they moved slowly into old London. Next to him the local Guardian, Gretta, was still holding the perpetual glare that she¡¯d met him with. It felt fitting that they were driving through a light Radstorm. After more than a week at sea, the less than warm welcome hadn¡¯t been a surprise, but it had been an irritation that soured his mood. Gretta had reminded him several times now that his presence was ¡°unusual at best, an intrusion at worst¡±, but Vincent simply didn¡¯t have the time for it. The Plan required that he be here, and so he was. He¡¯d hoped he could rely solely on Lucia, but given her state of mind when she¡¯d left, his expectations hadn¡¯t been high. He¡¯d sent her into a den of Psychics. Her own kind, true, but he had always known how she felt about them. How she felt about any reminder of their mother, really. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he discovered her once again locked in her room, refusing visitors and giving in to a very understandable depression. Still, there was the Plan. At least she¡¯d helped with Operation Veridicus. Vincent wondered if the broadcasts had become some kind of outlet for her. The power to influence millions had to be meaningful to his sister at a time where she no doubt felt powerless in her own life. The fact that so many of her recent suggestions had effectively been pro-Psychic propaganda seemed like another reflection on her life¡¯s changing path. As they passed increasingly old and dilapidated buildings, Vincent was struck by how small everything was here. He wasn¡¯t a large man himself, but he couldn¡¯t help but think about what it would have been like if he¡¯d allowed Robert to join him. The large man wouldn¡¯t have fit in the car, and certainly not through many of the small doors of the diminutive homes they were passing. The giant hadn¡¯t been happy to leave Vincent alone on such a dangerous trip, but Robert was far more valuable capturing and holding territory back in NTC. His prodigious strength was still rising, and his own reputation likely outstripped Vincent¡¯s at this point. Vincent had proven himself deadly, but Berserker Bob had shown himself to be a walking catastrophe. The man also lacked any real protection against Psychic influence, and no matter how the current Cult of the Mind tried to paint itself, Vincent wouldn¡¯t deliver a weapon like Robert into their hands. Beyond that, Vincent was confident that his own powers were becoming sufficient for most common dangers. A few fortunately timed Radstorms had pushed him nearly to Initiate 9, and he had a good sense of the third ability that awaited him. At last they slowed in front of a larger building, and the two of them exited the car without a word. As Gretta began to ascend the steps toward a set of double doors, she finally spoke. ¡°You will be expected to maintain a level of decorum and respect at all times while you¡¯re on the premises. You are a guest here, and your welcome can be rescinded at any time.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°I¡¯m just here to see my family. Surely the Cult still has families?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she said, while opening the door. ¡°But bringing them to our private compounds is a privilege, not a right. See that you don¡¯t abuse the hospitality we¡¯re offering you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, following her into the building. He looked around the opulent mansion as he crossed the threshold, seemingly leaving behind one world and entering another. The color, the antiques, the wealth, it all seemed to be an open insult to the drab and depressed city they¡¯d just traveled through. He looked down at his black shoes on Persian carpets, and wondered exactly where all of it came from. ¡°Would you like to be shown to a guest suite first, or¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see my sister. It¡¯s been some time, and I¡¯m worried about her, as you can imagine. She wasn¡¯t in the best of spirits when we last spoke.¡± Gretta seemed to be holding back a sigh, but she nodded, and began heading down a hallway. She stopped the first teenager she saw, and after a whispered question continued in the direction they¡¯d been going. ¡°Lucia has been spending much of her time in one of the meditation rooms with a view of the gardens, follow me,¡± she commanded. At least Lucia¡¯s not locked in her room, Vincent thought, and they continued through the mansion. Every time they passed someone in the hall, Vincent could swear he felt a tickle cross his thoughts, and soon his mood was falling even further. Mist, mist, mist, he repeated silently. At last they entered a mid-sized, but brightly lit room, with one wall entirely covered in windows. There were chairs of numerous types scattered around, as well as pillows and rugs, clearly for sitting or kneeling on in meditation. Perhaps because it was close to lunch time, the room was nearly empty. That was, of course, with the exception of his sister, and a boy she appeared to be flirting with. She looked¡­happy, which was surprisingly difficult for Vincent to wrap his mind around. He simply hadn¡¯t seen her looking that way since¡­the Farm, maybe? Even then it had been more about confidence or perhaps contentment, but now she seemed bright, somehow. It was something Vincent realized he didn¡¯t recognize in her, and he didn¡¯t fully understand his own feelings about that. She was dressed in comfortable clothes, certainly nothing to reveal her as a Psychic, and her long black hair was tied back, though some had spilled out in front of her face. Her companion appeared to be about their age, with dark skin and dark hair, and he was grinning at her in a way that even Vincent could recognize was more than just friendly. They both turned in unison when they realized they were no longer alone, but their reactions were very different. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Lucia looked¡­embarrassed? Scared, even? While the boy seemed almost angry. Was it just because Vincent had interrupted them, or was there something more behind that look. Lucia would understand, but somehow he doubted she¡¯d explain. ¡°Vincenzo?¡± she said in open surprise. Clearly she had been lax in checking the deadrop for messages. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I missed you,¡± Vincent replied, though he could tell it sounded hollow. Somehow putting in the effort to be extra emotive the way he normally did around others seemed particularly disingenuous in a building full of empaths. ¡°What?¡± she said back, her mind clearly trying to catch up. ¡°I had no idea you were coming.¡± Lucia hastily took her hand back from the boy who was failing to disguise a scowl, and she ran over to give Vincent a hug. ¡°Can we go somewhere to catch up?¡± he asked, and Lucia¡¯s face immediately fell into a familiar, long-suffering expression. ¡°Introductions first, little brother.¡± She turned to the Guardian. ¡°Thank you, Gretta, I¡¯ll take responsibility for him from here.¡± His escort nodded, and left without another word. Lucia then took Vincent¡¯s hand and led him to the boy, who was forcing a smile ¡°Vincent, I¡¯d like you to meet a friend of mine, this is Jeffrey.¡± ¡°Jeff,¡± the boy said, standing up and stretching out a hand to shake. Once again Vincent felt a tickle in his mind, and he forced a smile while accepting the greeting. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Jeffrey, I¡¯m Vincent Villari,¡± he released the handshake, noting its unnecessary tightness, then turned back to his sister. ¡°It¡¯s been a long trip, Lucia, I¡¯d really appreciate a chance to sit down with you and talk. I¡¯m sure Jeffrey understands the desire for privacy.¡± He hit the last word hard, adding a quick glance at the boy, who blushed. Lucia just rolled her eyes, the way he¡¯d seen a thousand times. ¡°We can talk in my room. I¡¯ll catch up with you at dinner, Jeffrey.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± the boy asked, and this time it was Vincent who rolled his eyes. To her credit, Lucia didn¡¯t appear to enjoy the unnecessary protectiveness either. ¡°Do I strike you as indecisive, Jeff?¡± He cleared his throat at that, obviously knowing Lucia well enough to understand he¡¯d misstepped. ¡°Dinner it is,¡± the boy said lightly, walking around the siblings and heading for the door. ¡°Nice meeting you, Vince. Welcome to London, yeah?¡± He disappeared through the door without waiting for a response. ¡°I can see you¡¯ve been busy,¡± Vincent said, with a pointed look. ¡°I have been busy, Vincenzo, and I¡¯ll show you with what, soon. Follow me,¡± she said, leading them from the room and back toward the entrance. Jeffrey was already out of sight, but Vincent still had to endure Psychic scratching from a few more people as they made their way through the house. They went upstairs, and soon Lucia was shutting the door behind them. Vincent considered the room, which was much better taken care of than the one back in NTC. There was some clothes on the floor, but no leftover food, and it was generally clean. The furniture looked well-used, and the curtains were open, letting in the green-tinged light of the passing storm. Vincent noticed what was clearly a man¡¯s shirt behind a chair, and shook his head in disappointment. ¡°So,¡± he said pointedly, ¡°tell me how it¡¯s been.¡± ¡°Challenging, but productive,¡± she answered, with only a touch of defensiveness. She gestured at a wooden chair with an old-fashioned patterned pillow on it for him to sit, then went and sat on her own bed. ¡°I¡¯m close Vincent, so close.¡± Vincent felt his hopes stir as he draped his black overcoat across the offeredchair. He spoke as he lowered himself into it. ¡°You¡¯ve found the weapon?¡± he asked in an excited whisper. A look of guilt flashed across his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Well, no, that¡¯s not what I meant. I mean that I¡¯m close to erasing mind control!¡± She said it with such enthusiasm, as if he should understand why it was so exciting. Instead, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from bursting from his chair. ¡°Damn it, Lucia! What is it with you two? Danny is trying to be the next Legacy, not caring that the man murdered our mother, and you¡¯re¨Cwhat? Trying to fix a father you don¡¯t even know? Doesn¡¯t anyone care about the Plan? Doesn¡¯t anyone but me actually want to stop the NGG? Have you completely forgotten about the Farm? About the rest of the world?¡± Lucia was speechless for a moment, and Vincent realized his face was warm. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d gone on such a tirade, his emotions so utterly out of control. Was it this place? Are they in my head already? His hand reflexively went to the psy-shielding collar around his neck. After a long moment, Lucia seemed to realized what he was doing. ¡°Whatever that is, it¡¯s working. You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± she said in a small voice. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt something that powerful before. As far as my abilities are concerned, it¡¯s like you don¡¯t even exist.¡± Vincent¡¯s hand fell away from the collar, and he took a calming breath. Seeing that he was settling down, Lucia continued speaking. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about the Farm, Vincent. Or the NGG, or the world, or even the Plan. But I came here to master my abilities, and that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing. And yes, part of that is because I want to save our father.¡± She paused, giving him a serious look. ¡°Are you ready to tell me where he is?¡± Vincent let himself fall back into the chair. He needed Lucia here. He needed her looking for the weapon, and helping with the broadcasts. ¡°When you come home, we¡¯ll see him together,¡± he answered at last. She looked upset, but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Did you really figure out how to help him?¡± he asked. ¡°I think so. It took some time to unlock the ability, so I haven¡¯t been able to work on it as long as I¡¯d like. Still, I think I understand the theory. Soon I should be able to help anyone who¡¯s a victim of mind control.¡± Vincent ignored her implication. He wasn¡¯t here for that conversation. ¡°Has our uncle been helping you?¡± he asked. ¡°No, I¡­I¡¯ve been avoiding him, honestly. I can¡¯t figure out if I can trust him, so I wasn¡¯t willing to risk it. Besides, he¡¯s away right now.¡± Vincent looked up at that, but Lucia was still talking. ¡°I¡¯ve been working with Master Illara, she¡¯s become something of a mentor to me. She¡­she knew mom, and has a better sense for mind-control than most people around here. Even in the Cult, that ability is pretty taboo.¡± Vincent barely heard her. ¡°Uncle Marco isn¡¯t here?¡± he asked. Lucia cocked her head, ¡°He¡¯s been gone for a few days. He leaves a lot. I think he visits the other compounds.¡± Once more Vincent stood up suddenly. ¡°Where¡¯s his room?¡± Lucia immediately looked hesitant, ¡°What are you planning, Vincenzo?¡± ¡°We need information, and you¡¯ve failed to attain it. So we¡¯re going to take a look around. It¡¯s not a perfect Plan, but it¡¯s the start of one, and sadly that¡¯s all we have right now.¡± He walked toward the door as she ran a hand over her face. ¡°Come on Lucia, let¡¯s go find out what we can about dear Uncle Marco.¡± Chapter 47: Rough Night I still think about Ellie. Is she out there somewhere? Is she with you? Vincent was halfway to the door when he felt Lucia¡¯s hand on his arm. He resisted an urge to shrug her off. ¡°You¡¯re wasting time. You¡¯ve been wasting time. Let go.¡± ¡°What are you thinking, Vincenzo? This isn¡¯t like you. You¡¯re being reckless!¡± He spun on her, and she took a step back toward the bed. ¡°Maybe this is what the NTC has done to me. Maybe it¡¯s what the NGG did to me. Maybe it¡¯s just being trapped in a house with a hundred Psychics trying to break into my mind!¡± She looked hurt, and confused, though he barely recognized those emotions from her. ¡°You¡¯re wasting time.¡± He said again, then shoved his hands in his pockets and turned back to the door. ¡°How can you possibly think this is a good idea?¡± she whispered as she hastily followed him into the hallway. ¡°Where¡¯s Marco¡¯s room?¡± he said in answer. Lucia rolled her eyes, but gestured down the empty hallway. He moved swiftly in the indicated direction, taking note of yet more priceless art lining the walls. A broken statue caught his eye, looking like the massive head and shoulder of a man gazing upward. ¡°This is a good idea,¡± he said after a pause, ¡°because they won¡¯t expect me to try something a few minutes after arriving. It¡¯s also a time when we¡¯re certain Marco isn¡¯t here. Can you guarantee another window like this will open up? Can you promise he won¡¯t be sleeping in his own bed tonight?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t,¡± she responded angrily, eyes darting back and forth, likely checking for other Psychics. ¡°But this isn¡¯t like you,¡± she added quietly. ¡°I disagree. Just because I usually plan things ahead of time, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not capable of seeing an opportunity when it presents itself. I believe it¡¯s also lunch time.¡± ¡°Tea,¡± she grumbled. ¡°They call it tea.¡± She sounded more resigned to the plan, but still looked upset. They soon reached the end of the hall, and followed it around a sharp corner toward a single, lone door. It was no different from any other they¡¯d passed, save for its relative privacy. Vincent went forward and began inspecting the handle. ¡°It¡¯s a normal lock, that surprises me,¡± he said, summoning a spectral arm. ¡°That¡¯s because we trust each other here,¡± Lucia said, her voice like acid. ¡°The whole point of this place is that it¡¯s somewhere safe for us, and you¡¯re doing this five minutes after arriving!¡± ¡°This is what you¡¯ve failed to do five months after arriving,¡± he said, matching her tone. ¡°Fine! I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t moved quickly enough for you, alright? But I want you to at least consider that you might not be acting rationally. You always act rationally.¡± That finally gave him pause, the green Phantasmal arm poised to undo the lock. Is she right? He wondered. But how can I trust her? Is she in my mind right now? Mist. Mist. Mist. He felt the familiar weight in his hand, and shook his head. ¡°We need this,¡± was all he said as the lock clicked open. ¡°Keep watch, I¡¯m going in.¡± Lucia was trying to object when he closed the door behind him. The room wasn¡¯t what he expected. Compared to the rest of the house, it was oddly minimalistic. The bed was larger than Lucia¡¯s, and the sparse furniture looked more used and more comfortable, but it was still nearly empty. Thick curtains covered the windows, keeping it relatively dark despite the afternoon sun. A lone bookshelf stood against one wall, and Vicent quickly determined it was entirely works of fiction from a range of genres. The most interesting thing was a standing mirror, which had a few pictures on it. It only took a glance to recognize his parents in one, and his father and¨Cpresumably¨CMarco in another. Perhaps the man was earnest after all? Vincent moved on, quickly losing hope that he¡¯d find anything resembling a clue, until he realized he¡¯d made a mistake. He had dismissed a set of curtains as covering a window¨Cone that would have led back into the house. He pushed the curtains aside, revealing a second bookshelf, this one entirely covered by identical, leather-bound books. They had golden bands at the top and bottom of their spines, with hand-written numbers written vertically¨Cone for each year. The bottom shelf held blank books of the same design, for years yet to come. Vincent didn¡¯t hesitate, snatching the one from the year the Cult in NTC was destroyed. A brief skim through the pages confirmed that it was Marco¡¯s personal journal. Grabbing one of the blank copies, Vincent quickly located a marker of the same type used to label the rest of the books, and wrote the year he¡¯d just taken. It looked too new, so he rapidly rubbed the spine against the carpet for a moment, scuffing and smudging it slightly. When he put the copy in the place of the original, it didn¡¯t look perfect, but would likely fool anyone not specifically looking for something out of place. Good enough, he thought, before tucking the journal into his coat and moving back to the door. Hearing nothing, he quickly peaked out, then dashed through. As he closed the door behind him, and extended a spectral arm to relock it, Lucia elbowed him in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we did this! Tell me you at least found something.¡± ¡°I did,¡± he replied, before moving back down the hall. Lucia hurried in front of him, quickly checking that they were still alone before gesturing for him to follow. They kept silent as they made their way back to her room, the hidden book spurring Vincent on. The moment Lucia¡¯s door shut behind them, she whirled on Vincent. ¡°Well? What did you find? I can¡¯t imagine he had the weapon under his bed or something.¡± Vincent revealed the book he¡¯d stolen. ¡°Journal. Might give us some clues as to what happened to the weapon, and what Marco was doing in NTC the night of the raid. Oh, and he probably is our uncle,¡± he added. When Lucia¡¯s jaw dropped, he explained. ¡°He has photos with our parents. He probably would have shown you if you didn¡¯t avoid him.¡± ¡°I was avoiding him for a reason, and photos can be faked. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve done nothing at all. If you¡¯d have given me some time before rushing off, I could have explained that I found a vault in the basement. I¡¯ve been trying to¨C¡± she cut off as Vincent immediately turned back to the door. ¡°Show me,¡± he commanded. ¡°Are you absolutely out of your mind? What the hell happened that turned you from the brother I know into an impulsive idiot?¡± ¡°A lot happened!¡± he screamed back at her, rage pounding through him. ¡°I¡¯ve killed! I¡¯ve nearly been killed a dozen times! I¡¯ve been in a Pit, chased by a monster, and sacrificed everything and everyone to make a difference while you¡¯ve been playing summer romance!¡± He could feel himself shaking, and forced his hands back into his pockets to keep from summoning his Phantasms. Lucia looked shocked, frightened even. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this¡­what¡¯s going on Vincent? I know you¡¯ve been through a lot, but¨C¡± ¡°You know NOTHING!¡± he roared, pointing an accusing finger with his left hand while his right balled into a fist. ¡°Or do you!? Are you reading me right now? Is your boyfriend? Am I just another toy for Psychics to play with now?¡± She didn¡¯t respond right away, which somehow made Vincent even angrier¡­until he realized she was looking past him. ¡°Vincent, what¡¯s in your hand?¡± she asked in a quiet voice. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Nothing!¡± he said, trying and failing to lower his voice. He stuffed his hand back into his pocket. ¡°Show me this vault! Stop trying to distract me!¡± ¡°Your hand, Vincent, it was glowing,¡± she insisted, moving closer. Vincent barely managed to keep his spectral arms from forming as she reached for his hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± he said again, trying to turn away. ¡°Just something to keep me safe.¡± ¡°Safe from what, Vincent?¡± she said, now looking him in the eyes. ¡°From you!¡± he shrieked. ¡°From all of you! I need protection!¡± She didn¡¯t respond right away, the pained expression back on her face. As the moments ticked by, Vincent¡¯s rage was slowly replaced by discomfort, then even a touch of shame. Finally she broke the tension. ¡°Are you really afraid of me, little brother?¡± she asked, barely above a whisper. ¡°No, I¡­Yes, I¡¯m being cautious. First you say I¡¯m reckless, now¡­now¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d hurt you?¡± she asked, and another wave of rage flared through him. ¡°You think mother hurt me,¡± he accused, then shame nearly overwhelmed him as he saw what the words did to her, what he¡¯d implied. Again she paused, then finally pointed at his clenched fist. ¡°Can you put that down, Vincenzo?¡± He looked at his own fist, light streaming through his fingers, then forced a calming breath. A spectral hand appeared, palm open, and he slowly placed the Relic on it. The light winked out a second later, and Vincent collapsed. *** Vincent awoke on Lucia¡¯s bed, sometime later. There was food and water on the nearby table, and he ate greedily. Strangely, he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d eaten anything. Or slept for that matter. He thought back to his time on the ship, and found that he couldn¡¯t recall doing much more than standing on the prow, staring forward. Vincent was still eating a sandwich, and looking out the window at the night¡¯s sky when Lucia finally returned. She went and sat on her bed. ¡°You slept for most of the day,¡± she said. ¡°I feel strange,¡± he replied. ¡°Strung out, like I¡¯ve been overusing my powers.¡± ¡°What was that thing, Vincent? It looked like the Relic Danny gave you, but I thought that was lost.¡± Vincent let out a long sigh. ¡°It¡¯s different, but it¡¯s more Invader tech. People collect them, even gang members. I¡¯ve found a few around the city. I thought this one just made light¡­at first.¡± ¡°Light and asshole tendencies,¡± she said, though her heart clearly wasn¡¯t in the joke. ¡°Emi was concerned it might be emitting some kind of radiation, so she looked into it. Apparently it works on the same frequency as psy-shielding.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°You were using Invader psy-shielding? No wonder I couldn¡¯t sense you at all. There isn¡¯t supposed to be anything that powerful.¡± ¡°Maybe for good reason,¡± Vincent said. ¡°I remember activating it on the ship, just to try it out. After that everything gets hazy. I think I¡¯ve been awake for four days straight. The paranoia and¡­all the rest, was probably from more than just the device.¡± ¡°Are you still planning to rush off to the vault?¡± she asked, clearly testing. ¡°No,¡± he replied immediately, ¡°that¡¯s not the Plan. First we check out the journal. Even if we were indiscreet about obtaining it, it¡¯s still valuable. We¡¯ll start figuring out the vault next¨Cif it¡¯s even still the right step. For all we know the journal might mention this piece of the weapon being destroyed.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m glad to hear you sounding slightly more like yourself,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I can convince you to get some more sleep first?¡± ¡°No, we really don¡¯t know how much time we have. Did you look at the journal at all?¡± ¡°No time. I was downstairs explaining to a large number of people why you were screaming like a maniac. Thankfully they didn¡¯t catch specifics.¡± ¡°Right, of course. I¡¯m¡­sorry about all that.¡± He got up and moved to his jacket, folded on the bed. He could tell by the lump inside it that she¡¯d left the journal there, and he brought it back to the table a moment later. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡± *** Hours passed as Vincent went through the journal. Evidently Marco Villari was quite prolific when it came to his notes. As the night went on, and Lucia fell asleep, Vincent struggled to keep his mind focused on the words. The events of the day kept playing out in his mind, strangely blurry. It disturbed him that he could be so strongly influenced by an outside source. It made no difference that the source was a Relic, or a Psychic, he¡¯d been subjected to that influence now, and found himself changed by it. He didn¡¯t believe he¡¯d ever felt rage like that before¨Ceven in life or death situations¨Cemotions like that were for other people. Despite the obviously negative experience, part of him felt lesser at the loss of such intense emotion. Those were thoughts for another day, however, as the journal finally touched on what he needed. I can¡¯t believe they had the arrogance to bring their ideas, and their conspiracies to the council. How could they not be denied? The weapon would be the end of us, whether they believe it or not. I have to convince him to rethink this plan. I know Ellie won¡¯t budge. I need to think. Vincent leaned back, considering the words. The council was likely the controlling group behind the Cult, though he¡¯d only heard of them by different names. If they knew, any one of them could have leaked the information to the NGG. But why? Were they so worried about losing the asteroid? He read on, searching for more relevant entries. He won¡¯t listen! He insists it has to be done, and he always knows better, doesn¡¯t he? I even threw sense away and spoke to Ellie directly. It was a worse mistake than I thought. She was furious¡­but also terrified. I think she¡¯s let her role go to her head. They¡¯re not leaving me any choice, I¡¯m going to have to go to the council, convince them to put a stop to this. They hate direct intervention, but this time it¡¯s necessary. Pages and pages of nothing. Apparently it wasn¡¯t easy to gather the council. Weeks passed before the group had spoken again. I was too late. They¡¯re her puppets now, and they don¡¯t even realize it. Ellie has always been a charismatic woman, but this is¡­I don¡¯t understand. How could she have changed all of their minds? They went from dismissive to zealots. The deaths this will cause¡­it¡¯s not who we are. It¡¯s not who we¡¯ve promised to be. That sentiment seemed to continue for some time. Marco would rave, and try some other path, find some other ally, only for it to fail once again. Why was he so certain that the weapon was a mistake? At last he reached the final entry of the journal, though the year was far from over. Vincent flipped through the blank pages that followed, surprised the meticulous man would just abandon his record-keeping. Finally he read the last written page. I¡¯ve given up. I gave up a while ago if I¡¯m being honest. I won¡¯t let them do it. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m the only one who sees that this is madness, I won¡¯t look in the mirror at a man who let children die. I¡¯m going to call Sam. It¡¯s been a while, but we were friends¡­and he¡¯ll want to hear what I have to say. Legacy will put a stop to this. *** Vincent and Lucia sat at a quiet table eating breakfast, alone in the meditation chamber with the view of the gardens. They were both quiet, the night having been filled with conversation, and debate. Their uncle had betrayed their parents. He¡¯d gone to the NGG. He¡¯d been the reason that Legacy had attacked the compound. The two siblings were taking the revelation differently, and neither were quite sure of their own feelings yet. They¡¯d both experienced the full spectrum of their emotional range as the night went by, and now were alike in their exhausted numbness. They were staring at nothing when Jeffrey came in, too excited to notice their twin blank gazes. ¡°Lucia! You¡¯ve got to see this!¡± he ran forward, revealing a Network screen from behind a curtain in the room. The Villaris looked over, less curious than tacitly accepting. The screen hummed to life, and an image of another anti-NGG rally being interrupted by Psychics in dark robes took over. It was different in scale though, with tens of thousands of people filling an old arena. The Psychics were gathered on a stage in the center. ¡°Why are we watching this?¡± Lucia asked woodenly. ¡°Because!¡± Jeffrey answered with barely contained enthusiasm. ¡°This is the announcement! The one we¡¯ve all been waiting for. No more rumors, no more hearsay. Cultivator Marcos is finally revealing himself!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Vincent asked, finally feeling a tug of interest. ¡°Is the Cult coming out of the shadows?¡± ¡°What? No nothing like that. He¡¯s admitting he¡¯s the Prophet! We¡¯ve been waiting decades for this! Now it can all really begin!¡± The siblings shared a glance, then went back to eating their meals. Lucia concentrated on her cereal as Vincent poked at a piece of sausage. Jeffrey looked incensed. ¡°How are you not losing it right now? This is history happening right in front of our eyes!¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s not the Prophet,¡± Lucia said in a bored tone. ¡°The Prophet is dead.¡± Jeffrey¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What the hell are you on about? You really believe the NGG¡¯s lies?¡± Lucia just took another mouthful of cereal, so Vincent turned his exhausted gaze on the boy. ¡°I thought you knew who we are. Our mother is Ellie Villari,¡± he said, but Jeffrey just shrugged as if it were obvious. Vincent sighed. ¡°Ellie Villari was the first Psychic. An Original, whose powers were Manifested by the Great Hero himself. ¡°She was the Prophet. And I watched her die.¡± Chapter 48: Prophets Return The NGG is changing, James. I don¡¯t recognize it anymore. They¡¯re treating me like their weapon¡­ Vincent and Lucia didn¡¯t stick around for much of ¡®The Prophet¡¯s¡¯ speech. Vincent heard enough to confirm what he expected: Marco was taking advantage of the following Veridicus had built to form his own resistance. He was even using much of the same rhetoric to bring people to their cause. Lucia¡¯s rhetoric, which understandably irritated her. Jeffrey hadn¡¯t taken the revelation of the Prophet¡¯s true identity well. Evidently the Cult had kept the secret from the rank and file for years, allowing rumors and mystery to build up¨Cpossibly for this very day. He¡¯d doubted at first, then asked questions to which he didn¡¯t believe the answers. Finally he couldn¡¯t deny that the truth seemed obvious in retrospect, and he wandered off, needing to be alone. Vincent and Lucia had likewise retreated from the rest of the mansion soon after. They were exhausted, and upon acquiring a cot and some extra sheets from a supply closet, they¡¯d retreated to Lucia¡¯s room, shut the curtains, and let sleep take them. *** They awoke in the evening once more, their body rhythms making it feel like morning. Lucia brought them dinner for breakfast, and they spent the next couple of hours talking once again. The topics didn¡¯t stray far from Marco¡¯s actions. Not just the night of the attack, but what he might have planned now, and how Lucia might be involved with those plans. ¡°Why else would he have allowed me to come here, if not to use me somehow?¡± Lucia asked while struggling to keep crumbs out of her bed. ¡°There are reasons,¡± Vincent answered, leaning back in his chair. ¡°But nothing I can think makes more sense. Unless¡­not really my area.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°If he¡¯s really our Uncle, he could feel guilt, or love, or both. You tell me.¡± Lucia paused, a hand on her chin as she considered that. ¡°He assumed I knew him¨Cremembered him even¨Cso he wouldn¡¯t have believed he could just bring me here and not say anything.¡± ¡°He also looks a great deal like our father. Even if he thought you didn¡¯t remember him, he had to suspect you¡¯d make a connection.¡± ¡°Right. That means whatever he was planning either took into account that I¡¯d know him, or didn¡¯t consider it an issue. Maybe he wanted to use my connection to mom for credibility?¡± ¡°Possibly, but he clearly wants the Prophet''s identity for himself. Mentioning mother would only muddy the waters.¡± ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m just pissed. I¡¯m looking for a reason to be angrier. If he ratted mom out to the NGG, then he¡¯s at least partially responsible for everything that happened that night. To the people we lived with¡­to dad.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t respond. He may not have a good idea of what to say when someone needed emotional support, but trial and error had provided a reasonable framework for what didn¡¯t work. Most of what he had to say fell into that category. Finally Lucia spoke again, surprising him. ¡°Let¡¯s break into the vault.¡± ¡°Is that a joke I don¡¯t understand?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m serious. The only reason not to was because of the respect and trust I had for this place. That¡¯s been spit on. Marco may as well have gotten both our parents killed, and I¡¯ve been living down the hall from him for months. Even feeling sorry for him.¡± ¡°You want to break into the vault as revenge?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°No¡­Yes, but not just that. I believe in you a hell of a lot more than I believe in him. I don¡¯t know what that stupid device does, but I know that you¡¯re genuine about wanting to bring down the NGG. And I haven¡¯t forgotten the Farm, Vincent. Or the thousands of kids on Farms just like it all over the world.¡± ¡°Are you sure? The piece of the weapon may not even be there, and there¡¯s likely no going back from this. I doubt there¡¯s a turn-key lock¡­we¡¯ll need to break our way in¨Cnot disguising that.¡± ¡°Like you said, the longer we wait, the more prepared they¡¯re likely to be. You won¡¯t be able to stay here forever, not while hiding your true intentions,¡± she said. Vincent tapped his lip, thinking. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of risks and unknowns here. Imagine, for instance, that we do find the weapon component in there. How do we escape with it?¡± Lucia considered, seeming to enjoy being part of another plan. ¡°There¡¯s a van out back. Going into town to pick up supplies is a chore they leave to the new initiates. I¡¯ve done it before¨CJeffrey even taught me to drive.¡± She stopped, her eyebrows dropping in frustration, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do if we¡¯re attacked though. I don¡¯t want to fight these people, and you¡¯re extremely at risk.¡± ¡°I¡¯d just use the Relic,¡± Vincent said. ¡°Are you crazy? You¡¯d actually be willing to use that thing again? Did you forget what it did to you?¡± ¡°Not at all. Knowing the cost doesn¡¯t scare me, it just helps me understand when it¡¯s a price worth paying. Besides, using it for an hour isn¡¯t the same as days, and you¡¯ll be with me.¡± Lucia grumbled, clearly recognizing her brother¡¯s stubborn side at play. ¡°So we ¡®worst case scenario¡¯ this thing. If we either can¡¯t get into the vault, or don¡¯t find the thingie, we just make a break for it. Not the most valuable reason to have burned this bridge, but we¡¯d be going in with open eyes.¡± Vincent picked up the thread. ¡°The alternative being that we do find the component. It¡¯s large, but my Apparitions could lift it. I won¡¯t be able to use my powers defensively, however, if they¡¯re doing so. I¡¯m not Reactive rank yet, and two powers and once makes one or both fizzle out.¡± ¡°My powers won¡¯t be much help either. Psychics tend to cancel each other out, unless one is significantly more powerful. We¡¯d really want to be out of here before Master Ilara or one of the other Masters finds us. There are at least three that could swat me like a fly.¡± ¡°That leaves both of us essentially fighting our way out by hand. How quickly do you think we could get back upstairs and out to the truck?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°Service entrance!¡± Lucia said suddenly, then calmed herself, looking embarrassed. ¡°I forgot there¡¯s a service entrance downstairs. It¡¯s locked, but nothing compared to the vault. If we move quickly, we can be outside in minutes. Even if there¡¯s an alarm, we¡¯d have a really good head start.¡± Vincent stared at his sister for a long moment. ¡°This is a very risky plan. Me on a ¡®paranoid Relic-bender¡¯ kind of risky, and it might gain us nothing. Are you certain you want to take this kind of chance? Maybe you should sleep on it.¡± Lucia took a long, deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m kidding myself if I pretend there¡¯s any chance that I can stay here knowing what he did. If I¡¯m going to leave, we need to at least try to get something out of it.¡± Vincent nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s work out the finer details then. We have a bit of time before everyone¡¯s in bed, I imagine. We¡¯ll see what we can do to hedge our bets before then.¡± *** Lucia was looking nervously back and forth in the dark hallway as Vincent inspected the vault door. It wasn¡¯t overly large, just a bit bigger than a standard rectangular doorway. His spectral hand could feel that the steel was nearly a foot thick, however, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to remove. Thankfully, Specters were shockingly good infiltrators. So good that Vincent often wondered if it was the purpose of the class. If the NGG wanted special agents, they couldn¡¯t ask for much better than Mimics and Specters, both restricted classes. One could likely walk into any building on the planet, the other could break in anywhere the Mimic couldn¡¯t go. ¡°I can do this. Shouldn¡¯t make too much noise, but I can¡¯t speak for any alarm systems,¡± he whispered. Lucia¡¯s face was barely more than a shadow in the basement¨Cit was off limits at night, and no lights were kept on. ¡°Do what you have to do. I¡¯ll give you as much early warning as I can if we¡¯re discovered.¡± She means her powers, Vincent considered, mentally adding Psychic to the list of infiltrator classes. Why would the NGG, a nearly uncontested global entity, need so many supers born for black ops? He shelved the thought for later, and turned his attention back to the vault door. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Eight Phantasmal arms burst out of him, then began reaching into the thick steel. While Vincent was on the cusp of Reactive, his first ability had already reached that milestone, giving him another useful augmentation. As several arms braced to hold the door when it fell, and yet more destabilized and weakened the material, his final arms changed shape, forming into razor sharp blades. Vincent hadn¡¯t had much call to use this new evolution yet, but he suspected it would add an extremely deadly edge to his combat abilities. He¡¯d encountered more than a few supers like Dollar Bill, those who either weren¡¯t possible to pass his arms into, or lacked internal weaknesses like fragile hearts to exploit. Deadly, whip fast blades and ghostly sledgehammers would likely even those fights considerably. It didn¡¯t take long for his arms to cut through the hinges and lock on the vault. While it appeared well-made, its molecular structure being weakened wasn¡¯t something the manufacturer could account for, and soon Vincent was dragging the heavy door outward, struggling only in his need to do so quietly. ¡°Timer starts now!¡± he whispered urgently, the door making a dull thud as he propped it against a wall. They both charged into the vault, turning on their KDs for light. They didn¡¯t hear any alarm, but that wasn¡¯t surprising, a silent one would make a lot more sense under the circumstances. The room was fairly large, looking like it extended past the foundation of the building. It was also packed. Everywhere they turned their lights, they found crates stacked so high and so densely that the gray concrete walls were barely visible. ¡°Shit,¡± Lucia said. ¡°There¡¯s no way we have time to check through three hundred crates.¡± ¡°We gave ourselves three minutes,¡± Vincent replied, ¡°Just do what you can. If the component is still intact, it¡¯ll be half the size of a car. A crate that big will stand out.¡± She nodded in the dim light, then raced to the other end of the vault, down the narrow walkway in the center of the room. Vincent searched the area closer to the door, having a better chance of defending them if someone came in. His eight spectral arms went to work, tearing open some crates, and pushing others aside in hope of revealing their prize. Instead, he found himself distracted by their contents. Guns. Lots of guns. K-Tech too, the good stuff. There was other ordnance as well, though Vincent wasn¡¯t an expert. He found numerous items designed to defend against specific power sets, as well as more basic supplies like body armor. Running out of time, he raced over to Lucia to see if she was having more luck. He found her standing still, examining something. ¡°What is that?¡± he asked, knowing she wouldn¡¯t have given up their search without reason. ¡°It¡¯s an injector¨Chand operated, not like our harnesses. There¡¯s thousands of the things; that¡¯s most of what¡¯s back here. I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m seeing.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t find what we¡¯re looking for, it¡¯s time to go. I¡¯m sorry this was a waste, Lucia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure it was,¡± she replied, putting down the injector and pulling up something that looked like a paper user¡¯s manual. ¡°There¡¯s more to this. Marco is obviously preparing for something. I think we need to know¨C¡± It was at that moment the lights turned on. Footsteps echoed and the siblings spun around, ready for a fight. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if you didn¡¯t kill me, Vincent,¡± Marco Villari said, hands raised to his sides. ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight, least of all against family.¡± Vincent didn¡¯t withdraw his spectral arms, which writhed in the air like hungry serpents. He inspected his supposed uncle, comparing him to the pictures he¡¯d seen in the man¡¯s room. His hair was longer, and the scars were a distraction, but he truly did look like their father. ¡°We had hoped you¡¯d remain in Italy a while longer,¡± Vincent said, buying time. ¡°I¡¯ve found it best to move quickly after antagonizing the NGG,¡± he responded easily, then stopped a respectful distance away, leaning against an open crate. ¡°When I heard you¡¯d come for a visit, I wanted a chance to meet you anyway. Not the circumstances I¡¯d have chosen though.¡± ¡°We know you betrayed our parents,¡± Lucia said without any preamble. ¡°You sent Legacy after them like a missile. How could you do that? How could you speak of family after doing that?¡± Surprisingly, Marco looked shocked, his mouth opened and he staggered slightly, completely losing control of the situation. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± he said, putting a hand to head as if pained. ¡°Ellie¨Cyour mother¨Cshe wasn¡¯t thinking straight anymore. She¡¯d lost her way. She was a mentor to me, and a sister, but¡­she wasn¡¯t the woman I knew anymore.¡± ¡°So you sent Legacy to kill her,¡± Vincent said, his tone cold and his spectral arms shaking as he held them back. Marco let his hand fall, looking defeated. ¡°It was so much more complicated than you could understand, but I don¡¯t expect that to mean anything to you. It wouldn¡¯t mean a damn thing to me if our situations were reversed. It is my fault she¡¯s dead. It¡¯s my fault your father is¡­what he¡¯s become.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Lucia said, and Vincent had to hold her back as she tried to charge their uncle. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say? You feel bad?¡± Marco sighed, refusing to meet her eyes. ¡°I thought I could explain it all to Sam¨Cto Legacy¨Cbut I couldn¡¯t even speak to him. Finally I left a message with a member of his team, someone I thought I could trust. I doubt Legacy was given anything more than the address of a building filled with Psychic rebels.¡± ¡°So now we have to forgive Legacy as well?¡± Vincent said, his anger rising. ¡°The man who killed our mother?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to forgive anyone,¡± Marco said softly. ¡°I just owe you an explanation. Would you like to hear it?¡± The siblings looked at one another. Both were near murderous at this point, but they¡¯d always been united by a drive for knowledge. Without speaking, they both acknowledged that they couldn¡¯t leave here with questions unanswered. Marco looked like he regretted his offer when they both nodded, but he was true to his word. ¡°I just wanted the weapon destroyed. Ellie thought any price was worth paying to get rid of the NGG, but she was wrong. I thought Sam would be able to destroy it without hurting her. He¡¯d never hurt Ellie if he could help it, the lovesick puppy. But when I didn¡¯t hear from him, I went to NTC.¡± His hand began idly tracing the burn scars on his face. ¡°I thought I could catch Sam in time, or at least get everyone out of the building. I had excuses and lies prepared, but I was too late. By the time I arrived the building was already¡­was already¡­¡± he shook slightly, his hand rising higher to grasp his head. ¡°It was¡­on fire. I didn¡¯t know if anyone had gotten out, and there were Elites everywhere. I got inside, but Psychics aren¡¯t meant for that sort of thing. I¡¯d love to tell you I had heroic plans, that I was charging in to save you, or my brother, but really I was just panicking. I know I wanted to help, but part of me¡­part of me just felt like I should die with them.¡± Lucia almost interrupted then¨Cclearly not liking the self-pity that was coming with the admission¨Cbut Vincent gave her a look and she held herself back. Marco continued. ¡°I tried to help the few I found alive, but I knew I was only sending them out into the streets to be killed. In the end, I didn¡¯t really accomplish a damn thing. I was on the second floor when I felt the pain that doomed Ellie. She screamed in a way that only Psychics could hear, and I collapsed. Sometimes I can still hear that sound.¡± He wiped at his eyes, then cleared his throat. ¡°I woke up and everything was on fire. I was on fire. I felt a squadron of Elites nearby, and I pulled them to me. They carried me out the back, which was where we found a piece of the weapon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vincent asked. ¡°What do you mean a piece? I thought they were firing the weapon that night, how could it have already been disassembled?¡± ¡°They were ready to fire, but didn¡¯t. I still don¡¯t know why. But I¡¯ve been preparing for that inevitable day ever since.¡± He gestured around them. ¡°A weapon like that cannot be created and then forgotten. I¡¯ve been inside enough minds to know at least that much about humanity. That weapon will be the starter¡¯s pistol for the revolution.¡± Vincent¡¯s eyes narrowed as he examined the crates once again, finally coming to a rest on the injectables. ¡°What are these? What are they in preparation for?¡± Marco smiled sadly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. Just like I can¡¯t tell you what the weapon does. If you¡¯re faced with the same moral dilemma I was, you might choose wrong¡­as I did.¡± ¡°You regret that you tried to stop the weapon?¡± Lucia said. ¡°What about all the ¡®deaths it will cause¡¯?¡± she asked, quoting the journal. ¡°That¡¯s what this is for,¡± he said, gesturing around them. ¡°Stockpiles like this are all over the world, waiting for the moment we step in as the NGG falls. There will be loss of life, but you can¡¯t tell me that you expected a bloodless coup.¡± Again, the siblings exchanged uncomfortable glances. Finally Vincent spoke, ¡°So you know what we¡¯re after, then?¡± ¡°Of course. I heard your mother¡¯s words as well,¡± he said softly. Lucia turned to Vincent with suspicion, but thankfully held her tongue. ¡°Our piece of the weapon isn¡¯t here. It¡¯s not with any part of the Cult, as the risk was too great. I¡¯ll have it shipped back to the NTC compound. I trust you¡¯ll acquire the remaining pieces eventually.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just giving it to us? Delivering it, even?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°The weapon will be fired,¡± he repeated. ¡°That¡¯s a certainty. Fitting that it be you two who fire it. However, I don¡¯t think you should give up your training just yet, Lucia. Illara says you¡¯re making progress on your goal, and I want my brother back.¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d stay here with you?¡± Lucia asked incredulously. ¡°No. But I¡¯m no longer the Cultivator of this compound. I¡¯m sure you saw me announce my new role on the broadcast. I won¡¯t be returning here, as business takes me elsewhere. Especially with the timetable accelerating.¡± He stepped away from crates he¡¯d been leaning on, limping slightly. ¡°You belong here, Lucia, and I won¡¯t stand in the way of that. Perhaps one day I can tell you of your mother. Who she was before she lost herself¡­who she was to me, who she was to all our kind.¡± He turned to the other sibling. ¡°Vincent, you look just like your dad. I hope to get to know you some day as well. In the meantime, I¡¯d appreciate you putting my door back before you leave. Gretta and Arthur will coordinate the ¡®package¡¯.¡± He turned and took a few steps, then paused. ¡°You both deserve better than all this. I¡¯m sorry your family all chose to be Heroes,¡± then he disappeared into the dark hallway. ¡°There are no heroes,¡± Lucia whispered bitterly. Chapter 49: Coming Home Sometimes I think of tearing it all down. I might even be able to. Would you come back then, to stop me? Vincent¡¯s journey home felt longer, as he kept turning over everything he¡¯d learned in his mind. He also wasn¡¯t suffering the influence of an Invader Relic, which meant that he experienced every minute of the week-long boat trip. He¡¯d spent most of the time considering what it meant that outside forces had been acting on the Plan without his knowledge. He¡¯d spent so long thinking that what he was doing would be coming out of nowhere, would be reviving a scheme thought dead and gone by everyone but him. It was disturbing to know that other people were out there, the weapon still on their minds, possibly even core to their own machinations. Worse, these unknowns were¨Cby their very nature¨Cimpossible for him to account for. Vincent hated rogue elements and loose variables in his Plans. Even though Lucia had opted to stay and finish her training in the London compound, she reminded him a dozen times before he left of her thoughts. ¡°It was all too easy,¡± she kept saying. It was hard for him to disagree, with Marco just handing them exactly what they¡¯d been searching for. And yet, seen from the opposite perspective, Vincent was the convenience. Marco had wanted the weapon fired. He only possessed a single piece, and spent a decade and half preparing for the aftermath of what the device would do. He may have planned to reconstruct it himself at some point in the future, but that could have taken years. Then two Villaris come knocking at his door, planning to do all the hard work for him. The whole experience left Vincent unsettled by the time he arrived back at the compound in NTC. It was late in the evening, but he wasn¡¯t surprised to find Emi still at one of her work desks. Something was clearly amiss, however, as she didn¡¯t notice his arrival, and just sat, staring at a half-completed machine. It was the same one she¡¯d been working on weeks before when he¡¯d left. ¡°Have you figured out what it is?¡± he asked in place of a greeting. She jumped a little, and gave him an irritated look. ¡°Yes, I have,¡± she said. He came to stand next to her, staring at the object with suspicion. It looked familiar. It shouldn¡¯t look familiar. ¡°Is that¨C¡± ¡°Half of the exact device I infiltrated K-Tech to acquire? Why yes it is, Villari. How do you feel about that?¡± ¡°Confused,¡± he admitted. ¡°The odds of that being a coincidence¨C¡± ¡°Are so slim as to be zero,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°He has to know what we¡¯re doing. There¡¯s no other explanation.¡± Vincent considered, joining her to stare at the half-completed cylinder. At first glance it did look like scrap, the metal being off-color and lacking the sheen of most K-Tech products. Closer inspection, however, showed that every wire and circuit was in near-perfect condition. ¡°There¡¯s no chance this was someone else in the building?¡± Emi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of that, but no. If it was an exact reproduction, then maybe. Maybe. Even that would take someone who¡¯d already mastered Tecnico¡¯s mathematical language, which I struggle to believe is even possible. But regardless, it¡¯s not an exact reproduction.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is it wrong somehow?¡± he asked. ¡°Not wrong. Different. Some of it is just efficiency, the natural progression of refining technology over time. But other parts don¡¯t match the schematics we have. Whatever this thing used to do, it¡¯ll do something different now. I can¡¯t even guess how different, without a much better understanding of this insane tech.¡± She turned and looked Vincent in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back there, Vincent.¡± He raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Why not? This is better than we could have hoped.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s watching me, Villari! Tecnico, the madman in charge of the greatest power on the planet after the NGG is watching me! He has to know who I am, and what we¡¯re doing. There¡¯s no other explanation.¡± Vincent nodded, ¡°That seems likely. We¡¯re in his city. We use his technology, and we¡¯ve hardly been quiet about our presence. He¡¯s likely the greatest mind that¡¯s ever lived, and you work in his basement.¡± She stared at him with a disbelieving expression. ¡°Did you know about this?¡± ¡°I suspected, but I don¡¯t share your concern. His animosity toward the NGG is famous, and he already built this device once. If he found out, most of the potential outcomes work in our favor.¡± Emi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Show you work, Villari.¡± ¡°Of course. If he found out, and felt the weapon shouldn¡¯t be fired for any reason, he would stop us¨Csomething he could accomplish simply by withholding the device. We have to operate on the assumption, however, that he had a reason for not using the weapon himself¨Cotherwise surely he would just rebuild it. ¡°My guess is that the NGG is watching him too closely. An overt action of that nature would likely cross some line. Possibly even be a declaration of war. If, on the other hand, a motivated Tech joined his company for the sole purpose of finding a way to use the weapon independently, he may be inclined to facilitate that endeavor. Quietly, of course.¡± Emi looked at the device, built piece by piece in an extremely convoluted manner. Then she turned back to Vincent. ¡°You sent me in as bait. I knew this plan was shaky at best!¡± ¡°Bait isn¡¯t how I¡¯d put it,¡± he replied, tapping his lip. ¡°It¡¯s not like there was a reason to think you¡¯d be in true danger¨CTecnico isn¡¯t deadly the way the NGG is. As I said, if he didn¡¯t want you to succeed, all he had to do was nothing. Or fire you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡± Emi insisted, face reddening. ¡°We know that definitively now. You can debate retroactively how likely it was that I was right, but the point is moot. Besides, tell me that working at K-Tech wasn¡¯t the best possible scenario for you, regardless.¡± Emi sputtered, obviously furious but not knowing where to begin. Vincent nodded when she didn¡¯t answer quickly enough. ¡°Exactly. Excellent work. How long do you think it will take to complete the device?¡± She stared at him, her jaw clenched for a long moment before answering. ¡°A month. I already have most of the parts¡­provided the insane CEO doesn¡¯t drop me into the acid room, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯m sure the Cult¡¯s piece will have arrived by then. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to confer with Arthur; I think Danny is ready to meet.¡± He nodded, then swept from the room, his black coat billowing out behind him as he did so. *** Vincent watched Robert with some fascination as the giant played with several wild dogs. They raced after him, nipping at his heels before he¡¯d turn suddenly and charge after them in turn. They¡¯d occasionally disappear into the dense forest before reappearing minutes later, often with a new canine added to the game. Vincent had expected to find himself impatient as they waited for Danny¡¯s poorly scheduled arrival, but Hero¡¯s Sanctum was well named. It was a peaceful place, and even just being perched on a rock, breathing in the clean air was soothing, and relaxing. It had taken another two weeks after returning to NTC to organize the meetup. Danny had sent a message explaining he was healed and able to get away, but that still meant sending one in return to propose a time, and a third for Danny to agree. Finally the day had come, and Vincent had to admit that part of his excitement was to see his friend again. He knew his emotions weren¡¯t as loud as some people¡¯s were, but he cared about Danny. He¡¯d felt his own quiet fear at sending his friend into such a dangerous and uncertain situation, and it had only grown as the life or death moments added up. Finally they could all go home together, and concentrate on the future. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Vincent was watching the gardens, lost in thought when a flash of green caught his attention. He looked up to see Danny, flying in a sphere of energy at impressive speed. When the bubble burst suddenly, Vincent rose in alarm, and began sprinting past the manor, preparing to catch his falling friend. He slowed when he realized Danny was dropping head-first, clearly in control of his fall. At the last instant his friend flipped over to slam into the ground, leaving a small crater beneath him. He was brushing dust off when Vincent came to a halt in front of him. ¡°Sorry Vince, I don¡¯t get a lot of opportunities to practice with my new power,¡± he said, a grin on his face. ¡°Why the hell would a mimic gain¡­whatever that was?¡± Robert asked, stepping out of the forest, an entire pack of dogs following. ¡°My third ability,¡± Danny explained. ¡°It sounds plain but it¡¯s awesome. I can store Mimic profiles now. Only two right now, but that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Bob asked. In answer, Danny suddenly took on Bob¡¯s own appearance, before swapping for that of Legacy¡¯s, and tossing a ball of energy lightly back and forth between his hands. ¡°I can¡¯t use two power sets at once or anything,¡± he clarified, taking his own form. ¡°But I can swap between two different supers. Or non-supers I guess, even if that sounds pointless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an extremely versatile power,¡± Vincent remarked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have been helpful with Young Infinity, of course, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll make great use of it. Glad to have you back, Danny.¡± His friend squirmed a little before speaking. ¡°Um, actually it¡¯s ¡®Warden¡¯ now. All the swapping identities around, it was cool to choose a new one that suited me a little better.¡± Vincent raised an eyebrow, ¡°You used to call the Dean of the Farm ¡®Warden¡¯, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯d want the reminder.¡± Danny blushed, ¡°Well it¡¯s a piece of my past, and it¡¯s a little more appropriate these days. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a stupid name,¡± Robert said while petting one of the dogs. ¡°You sound¨Cand look¨Clike you run a prison for middle aged women trying to lose weight.¡± Danny glanced down at the observably tight blue bodysuit he was wearing, presumably for training, then glared at Robert. ¡°Thanks for the feedback, Berserker Bob.¡± He turned to Vincent. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done,¡± he said, moving toward the mansion. Vincent had already encountered the shield while he waited. His own powers couldn¡¯t pierce the wall of energy, but he felt like it was a matter of strength, not capability. His Phantasmal arm had slowly disintegrated as it passed through, but concentrating had slowed the process. Still, the ease by which Danny built a doorway showed how much better suited Legacy¡¯s abilities were to the task. The door was fairly small, however, and Robert grunted with effort as he squeezed his massive frame through. ¡°Ah sorry, Big fella, I guess I¡¯m just not strong enough,¡± Danny said. Vincent caught him smirking before turning away though. The three followed the steps up to the unlocked door, all of them struck by the significance of where they were. There were few people on the planet jaded enough not to be in awe of the Great Hero, and breaking into his house¨Chowever unoccupied it was supposed to be¨Cfelt like some kind of sacrilege. Vincent wasn¡¯t sure what to expect as he walked inside, taking in the art and the remnants of the war, all thrown together without purpose. It was a strange contrast to the lavish Cult Compound in London. Where that had felt like an intentional display of wealth, this felt oddly personal. Everything here seemed to have mattered to one, complicated man. Danny led them through a few rooms, toward a sitting room with a single door on the wall. Vincent let himself fall behind for a moment when he noticed something out of place, however. There was a book, wedged between two mildewed cushions of a couch. It caught his eye because it was of the same type as the one he¡¯d stolen from his uncle. As Danny was opening the door, a spectral hand snapped out to grab it, and Vincent quietly deposited it in a deep inner pocket of his coat. Robert noticed, ever watchful as he was, but he said nothing, simply holding the door and waiting. They were all through a moment later, though they froze in unison. ¡°Damn,¡± the Berserker said. ¡°I thought it would be less terrifying the second time,¡± Danny whispered. ¡°It¡¯s really not.¡± Vincent walked forward, inspecting the alien lifeform, finding it hard to believe that it was truly dead. He looked from its disturbingly inhuman face to its stretched out, lank body, wondering what it must have been like to face down thousands of these creatures. As he stepped past it, he managed to get a look at the inward side of the metallic plates that were clothing or armor or both, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s in the next room with the way creepier thing,¡± Danny said, moving to open another door. Vincent moved to follow, but Robert lingered for a moment. ¡°I would have snapped this thing like chopsticks,¡± he said dismissively, then followed the others. They shared a similar moment of shock and disgust in the next room, each feeling the enormous, empty eye socket seeming to stare into their souls. When Danny explained the creature¡¯s scale, even Robert looked somewhat disturbed. He almost jumped at the chance to pick up the massive gun barrel, which he tossed over a shoulder before making a hasty exit. ¡°You¡¯ve done the impossible, Danny. I¡¯m impressed. Truly,¡± Vincent said. Once again, his friend looked strangely uncomfortable. ¡°It¡¯s Warden,¡± he said quietly. Vincent raised an eyebrow, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you meant that as a permanent change. Isn¡¯t Legacy¡¯s name ¡®Sam¡¯?¡± Danny shrugged. ¡°Yeah, maybe I¡¯m being weird about it. Of course you can call me Danny.¡± He paused, letting out a long breath. ¡°The name is just helping me to¡­well, to make the decisions I need to make.¡± ¡°What kind of decisions?¡± Vincent asked, then looked back at the alien eye, an uncomfortable audience for what felt like a private conversation. ¡°Is this something we can discuss back home?¡± ¡°My home is Infinity Tower,¡± Danny said rapidly, almost unintelligible. ¡°What?¡± Vincent replied, looking at his friend in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision, Vince. I¡¯m staying with Legacy. With my team. I know what you think of him, and the NGG, but¡­but you¡¯re wrong, okay? He wouldn¡¯t have done what¡­what you think he did. And we don''t work for the NGG. You should hear the way he talks about them sometimes. He might even hate them as much as we do.¡± Vincent was speechless for a moment, trying to take in everything Danny had said. He was leaving. He was defending Legacy. He was leaving. ¡°What are you¡­¡± Vincent felt sick. Why was Danny saying this? ¡°What are you saying?¡± he asked, hearing an odd tone to his own voice. Danny looked stricken. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vince. I¡¯m just not invested in bringing down the NGG the way you are. Sure, I hated the Farm, and I¡¯m happy to see them go. I¡¯m glad I found the weapon for you, but I don¡¯t want to live in the basement of a Cult anymore. I want to be a Hero!¡± ¡°There are no Heroes,¡± Vincent whispered through gritted teeth. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Vince. I¡¯ve seen them. They¡¯re just people, man. Some people are garbage¨Csome people are Ironfist. But some people are good.¡± He paused, looking away. ¡°Some people would die to fight for what¡¯s right.¡± Vincent felt emotions raging inside him. It wasn¡¯t quite the madness that he¡¯d experienced with the Relic, but it was more than he knew how to express. His face was growing hot, his heart was hammering in his chest. He couldn¡¯t think clearly. Couldn¡¯t speak. Danny just looked uncomfortable. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean we aren¡¯t friends, Vince. Look, maybe you use the weapon, and it does¡­I don¡¯t know, whatever the hell it does, then you come with me! You could be awesome on Young Infinity. Your powers, your brain! I bet we could sell Legacy on it¨C¡± ¡°You want me to work for Legacy!? You want me to work with the man who killed my mother!?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t even realize he¡¯d used his powers until he saw Danny struggling to get up¨Cin the next room. Phantasmal arms had thrown him through the nearby wall, leaving the Mimic traitor coughing and wheezing in a dusty storage room. Danny looked at him with hurt and fear, a green bubble of energy wrapping around him. ¡°Vincent, I¡¯m sorry, I just¨C¡± ¡°You just want to believe whatever the hell you have to, in order to live out your pathetic little fantasy!¡± Vincent yelled. ¡°You¡¯d rather forgive a murderer than face the truth!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¨Cyou don¡¯t understand! I¡¯ve lived with these people, I know them!¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± Vincent roared, as spectral arms ripped the nearby door off its hinges, hurling it aside. Danny was calling out as Vincent stormed out of the second lab, barely pausing to snatch the metal clothing from the Invader. Robert was rushing back toward him as he bundled it up under one arm. ¡°What happened? Is it him? Is the Great Hero here?¡± He seemed ready to fight, but his uncertainty did him credit. Even Berserker¡¯s had limits apparently. ¡°No,¡± Vincent said, barely containing his fury. ¡°Warden, isn¡¯t coming back with us. He¡¯s a ¡®Hero¡¯ now. No time for Villains like us.¡± Danny was emerging from the Lab, but he stopped at those words. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying, Vince! Please, let¡¯s talk about this.¡± He raced forward, arm reaching for a billowing black coat. Robert stopped him, a massive hand pressed against Danny¡¯s chest. He didn¡¯t speak, just shook his head once, then moved to follow Vincent. Apparitions burst to life in the afternoon sun, charging toward the blue shield. Robert left the house with Danny trailing, and they watched in fascination as a half dozen spectral copies of Vincent ran ahead. They bunched together, struggling, reaching, and pushing. The shield flashed and pulsed in answer as grasping hands slowly seemed to squeeze through. Vincent didn¡¯t break stride, rage plain on his face, and Robert hurried after him, grabbing the weapon barrel from where it lay at the bottom of the stares. ¡°Vince, please¡­¡± Danny said, moving forward, desperation in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll open it for you, just wait¨C¡± he cut off as the Apparitions paused, halfway through the shield. They adjusted their positions, climbing one another, looping arms, stretching to their full height. When they finished, a crude doorway was torn open between them just in time for Vincent to stride through, Robert ducking after him. Danny raced forward. ¡°Please, man! I¡¯m your best friend, let¡¯s just talk! Don¡¯t leave it like this!¡± The copies of Vincent were torn to pieces in Danny¡¯s face, and the shield snapped back into place. He was summoning his power when Vincent turned around. He didn¡¯t say anything, and although Danny opened and closed his mouth several times, he didn¡¯t speak either. After a tense moment, Vincent turned once more and walked away. He had what he needed.