Trajectory
2.1
Dinah did not stir in response to my earlier moment of tension and tried to organise my thoughts. Armsmaster and the Mayor were both watching attentively.
"I won't bore you with all of the history," I said haltingly, the words tight in my throat. "But the situation at my school ... its..." I stopped, swallowed. I could do this. I could. Just push the words out. Like tearing off a band-aid or a scab. One quick motion.
"Right before Halloween, certain students shoved me into a locker and locked me in. It was filled with female hygiene products that had been, I guess, put in before the weekend. I was in there for several hours." The words tumbled out in a rush. "I was hospitalized for weeks because of what happened to me while I was in there. And since I've come back to Winslow, they haven't stopped. Nothing as obvious as the locker. But it's constant and they won't stop and now I'm like this and I'm afraid that I'll do something terrible. And I don't want anything for helping Dinah, but this probably sounds like I'm expecting it when it was just the right thing to do-" Armsmaster raised a hand and I trailed off, feeling my breath coming in sharp gulps.
"Ms. Hebert, it's all right," he said, his voice sympathetic. "With your permission, I'll give the Mayor some more detail?"
I stared at him. "You know ...?"
"After our encounter," he elaborated, "I was thorough in finding out what I could. I didn't want another misunderstanding to arise. I've a good deal of information on the situation, yes."
I exhaled and then nodded once. Armsmaster turned to the Mayor, said something and they moved closer to the door, speaking in low tones. I didn't try to listen in, not wanting to hear whatever he was saying. He'd researched me before he sent Colin, or came himself if they were the same person. So he knew before I even started speaking and he hadn't looked at me oddly or judged.
The Mayor's face grew increasingly stern at whatever Armsmaster was saying and he nodded here and there.
"Ms. Hebert," he said gravely as they approached. "What you've experienced was completely unacceptable and you have my sincerest apologies. Rest assured, the matter will be looked into. Regarding the fact that you've requested a transfer away from Winslow." He paused. "I believe there is a waiting list at Arcadia currently,"
My heart sank into my stomach as he stopped. No. I couldn't go back there.
"But in light of current circumstances, I don't see that the teachers there will be burdened by one more student," he said and I blinked. Did he mean ... ? "I'll see about expediting matters quickly. Armsmaster, you'll look into the rest?"
"I will," he said simply. "I'll keep you advised."
The door opened and a young man entered, looking rather upset. His eyes scanned the room, nodded to the Mayor, then fell on Dinah.
"Is she ok?" he asked immediately.
"Exhausted," I said, wondering who this was. A relative, perhaps? He was fairly well-developed but as I looked, I noticed a definite resemblance to Mayor Christner. His son, I guess. "But physically, I think she's ok." I didn't elaborate on anything else as I am sure he knew.
"Are we taking her home?" he asked, glancing to Armsmaster, then the Mayor.
"There are some concerns that the individual responsible could try again," Armsmaster said carefully. "And her own talents appear to support that. Given that this Coil escaped before reaching the PRT HQ, we're taking the possibility that he'll move against Dinah and possibly Ms.Hebert as well very seriously. I'm intending to refine the details, but at present, we'll be keeping them together with guards. Location hasn't been decided yet, however."
The young man frowned and looked at Armsmaster, a questioning look on his face. "Is that ...?"
"I do admit to reservations," the Mayor said, "but Armsmaster has my confidence in this. He's certainly more experienced in such matters than I. In any case, it isn't your place to question his judgement." The words were definitely a rebuke to his son and now I knew there was something I was missing in terms of context. The young man flushed at the words, then turned to me, crossing the room and offering his hand.
"I'm Rory. Rory Christner. Thank you for looking after my cousin." he said politely. I shook his hand. He had a firm grip without being too much so. A nice smile too. My thoughts drifted for a moment into an an entirely inappropriate direction before I returned the smile.
"I didn't do anything special," I demurred. "Just in the right place at the right time."
"Modest," the Mayor said, shaking his head. "I approve, but you did a good thing, Ms. Hebert. You shouldn't downplay that."
"It was just what anyone would have done," I mumbled, reddening slightly.
"I need to communicate with some colleagues and make sure of our arrangements," Armsmaster said. "If you'll remain here? I'll have someone bring some more substantial food by for you both." He looked at the Mayor. "Mayor, Mr. Christner, if you'll both come with me?"
They nodded and excused themselves. I caught a glimpse of one of the guards outside the door. A cape, but I didn't have enough time to determine who before the door closed and Dinah and I were alone again.
* * *Dinah was awake and we were riding, in a PRT transport, to our destination. Armsmaster claimed to have spoken briefly with my dad and that he was amenable. Our house wasn't large, but there was enough room to spare. Armsmaster said there would be agents making regular patrols of the area in addition to the two Wards members he had requested from another city's Wards program. It would make things a bit cramped, but we had the space.Dinah hadn't said much since she woke, merely staring at people with haunted eyes and occasionally flinching if someone came too close and stepping closer to me. I wished there were more I could do for, but for the moment, I just kept her hand in mine, giving her a smile whenever she looked to me.That man.I thought of the man in the suit again. The one responsible for her having this look in her eyes. And I was angry. It wasn't the anger that had been building as Emma, Madison, and Sophia kept their campaign up. This was something else. This man had killed her parents, hunted her and now she was here with me, looking pale and drawn. From what I had gathered when talking to Rory for a bit, it was not like her at all.And it was all this Coil person's fault. And he had escaped.I was going to do have to do something about that, I thought. He would try again, I was certain.I frowned and shook my head at the thoughts. He might. But I had to make sure Dinah was safe first and foremost. And if the opportunity arose...Well, I don't think Coil would be an issue any longer when it did. I would make sure of it.--This isn't exactly what I had planned for this one, but I think it turned out ok. Other's mileage may vary, however. Anyway. here you go. Arc 2, Trajectory is a go~ AwardReport1136chibipoe7/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.2 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)8/2/2014Add bookmark#1,136Trajectory
2.2
Dad was busy when we arrived, carrying some trash out. He had been cleaning out the unused rooms, I gathered. I wasn't sure who the Wards that Armsmaster was going to be stationing here were, as they were out of state, but I hoped I would be able to get along with them. It was somewhere fairly close, if I remembered right. New York, perhaps?
I wondered what we were going to do about food with the extra mouths. Would they cover their own or provide money? Did Wards members even need to eat? Did they just absorb nutrients from the air or the sun?
I paused at that thought. I needed to get something proper to eat myself, given the direction my thoughts were taking. Maybe Dinah would like it if I made lasagna.
"Hi, Dad," I said, as we stepped from the transport. He brightened upon seeing me and I felt a twinge about not having called him. Colin had to let him know everything was fine, but I had been concerned for Dinah and it slipped from my mind entirely.
"Taylor," he said. "You're all right?"
I nodded. "Dad, this is Dinah." I crouched down beside her. "Dinah, I'd like you to meet my dad."
Dad crouched down as well, but he kept a safe distance to avoid alarming her. "It's nice to meet you, Dinah."
For a long moment, she didn't say anything, but I saw her lips moving as if she was saying something to herself. Numbers? Then her face crumpled and I saw tears well in her eyes. Oh, Dinah, I thought, guessing what question she had just gotten an answer for. She released my hand and threw her arms around my neck, burying her face against my shoulder. Danny looked alarmed but I just shook my head, carefully rubbing her back in soothing gestures even as I slid my arms around her. I rose, lifting her. She was light, but even so, I had to take a moment and adjust for the effects of her extra weight.
"Let's get you inside," I murmured softly and my dad led the way. PRT agents were keeping watch and I was thankful for the late hour. This would have drawn a lot of attention during the day.
Armsmaster stopped at the door. "I'll have the area under close watch for the night, but the extra help I've requested will arrive in the morning." He paused a moment, then looked at me. "As it stands, given where we are in the school year, we'll be starting you at Arcadia in the fall. But, let me stress, you aren't returning to Winslow. With current circumstances, we'll want to minimise exposure as much as possible until we've dealt with this Coil properly. I think I can manage suitable arrangements so that you don't fall behind as well. For tonight, though, don't worry about that, just get some rest."
I nodded. "Thank you, sir."
The lower half of his face moved into what I thought was a smile. "All part of the service. Have a good night, Taylor. Dinah, Mr. Hebert." He nodded at my dad and moved away.
My dad watched him go for a moment, then turned to me. "Hungry?"
"Please," I said. "Do we have the stuff for lasagna?"
"Want garlic bread with it?" he asked, chuckling softly.
"I think Dinah will like both," I said, giving her back another gentle touch. She had stopped shaking, but I wasn't sure if she hadn't fallen asleep again or not.
"Tomatoes are good," she mumbled in a small voice that I almost didn't catch.
"We have some fresh tomatoes, right?"
"We do," my dad agreed.
"Good, we can use those for the sauce for the lasagna," I told him as we went inside. "Tomorrow, if it's approved, think we can go out to get a few things for Dinah? Clothes and the like?"
"I think we can manage that," my dad agreed. "Would you like that, Dinah?"
"I guess," she mumbled against my shirt. I nodded to my dad as he hadn't caught her words.
"After we've had the lasagna, Dinah, we'll see about dessert. I think we have some chocolate ice cream in the refrigerator." I told her, moving into the kitchen where I pulled out a chair and carefully sat her down. Her arms tightened at my neck for a moment but she let them drop to her sides.
"I'm going to work on chopping the tomatoes," I told her. "I'll be right over here, okay?"
"'kay," she said quietly, apparently looking at the floor, but I noticed the way her head moved to follow me around the room. Dad went to another counter and started working on the garlic bread while I pulled down a cutting board. I selected several tomatoes and began washing them, setting them aside. I looked at the knives, about to reach for one to use.
Wait.
"Hey, dad," I said, drawing his attention as I turned so that I wasn't blocking view of the cutting board from Dinah as well. "Want to see something with my powers?"
He looked up, a wary expression on his face. "Like?"
I felt a grin form as I reached to where my power was. I remembered how I had affected the air when Stormtiger faced me and thought of that, scaling down what I wanted to do tremendously. I put one of the tomatoes down on the cutting board.
"This," I said, drawing my finger down the length of it. The air I was adjusting obeyed my calculations and the tomato split exactly down the middle. I heard a noise from Dinah and glanced her way, but she appeared to be staring at the floor. My dad blinked at the tomato, no doubt noticing I had nothing to cut it with that he could see. My grin widened a touch more and my next movement cubed both halves of the tomato. I deposited them into a bowl with a flourish, the grin turning to a smile as my dad applauded.
I was about to retrieve another tomato when tiny hands pushed one onto the cutting board. Dinah had moved from her seat silently and was standing beside me. I looked at her, then at the tomato.
"Again?" I asked and she nodded slightly. I grinned and ruffled her hair, then went to work on the second tomato while Dinah stared, rapt.
Maybe this would work out after all.
-- AwardReport1190chibipoe8/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.3 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)8/2/2014Add bookmark#1,3722.3
We got three Wards, not two, as it turned out. All from the New York branch. The third apparently turned out to be a volunteer and, from what little I understood as Colin hadn't been forthcoming on specifics, her home life wasn't the best. She was, he assured me, very competent and wouldn't cause any issues.
Dad wasn't happy. I don't think he was upset about Dinah, but he wasn't thrilled that we might be or were targets for a villain with a grudge. The other source of his displeasure was more mundane and that was related to keeping food and supplies handy. Colin mentioned that he would have that addressed as quickly as possible, but as it stood, we would need to go out for restocking soon.
As to the Wards. They were sitting in the living room now, squeezed into the couch. Flechette, Freighttrain and Spyglass. Colin mentioned that there might be a fourth coming in, who would swap out with Flechette, who was considering a transfer to Brockton Bay apparently. But I had no details yet on who that would be. None had unmasked and I didn't know that they would, which would be all sorts of odd, but it was their choice.
My wondering about that was interrupted as Freighttrain pushed off his mask, revealing hispanic features. He smiled at me and extended his hand.
"I'm Philippe," he said easily.
"Taylor," I replied, shaking his hand firmly.
"Seriously, Philippe?" Spyglass asked, looking annoyed. "You just push your mask off and tell her who you are without a care in the world?"
"It's cool. I can tell Taylor is good people," he said, his accent adding an exotic flair to his words. It seemed richer than the usual ones I heard and I wondered about it. Spyglass, whose costume was a pale yellow with what I thought was an old style looking glass emblazoned across it, made a disgusted sound, but pushed her one mask aside as she looked over at me.
"Shawna," she said tersely, offering her own hand. "Philippe is a bit too easy-going." Her own skin was a warm chocolate and she gave me a half-hearted smile that lit up her face even so. "Just goes and trusts people without thinking things through."
I considered this even as Philippe made an offended sound, clutching at his chest in mock affront "Shawna, sestrica, why so mean?"
"Dork," she said, shoving at his arm. "I told you to stop calling me little sister. I'm older than you!"
Flechette radiated exasperation in a way that suggested this was familiar to her before she pushed her own disguise aside. "You can call me Lily." Beside the couch was a fairly large crossbow that she had propped up. It looked fancy. Some sort of tinker device? I shook her hand as well. She had oriental features that were actually quite pretty.
She looked past me to where my father stood. "I want to thank you for letting us stay here while we keep a watch out, Mr. Hebert."
"Call me Danny," he said and I felt something relax as I realised he had let his irritation go for the moment. "It was a bit more than I was expecting, but we'll manage."
She nodded. "I know it was short notice and I'm sorry for that, but again, I do thank you."
My dad waved a hand absently, giving her a smile. "There's two extra bedrooms. I was going to settle Dinah in one, but we ended up with other arrangements for that. You can divide them between yourselves however you want."
"Thank you, Mr. Hebert," Lily said. My dad opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head and gave her a weary smile.
Lily turned to the other two. "Come on, you two. Let's get our stuff stashed and stop cluttering their living room. We'll talk watch schedule in a bit."
Dad nodded and then frowned. "We were going to make a trip out to the store soon. How would be best to arrange that?" The way he shifted suggested his irritation had returned. I could understand, from what I had learned from Armsmaster, there was to be a lot of close watch in the event that Coil tried anything. Curbed activities and the like. It wasn't ideal, but the other possibilities had been relocating to a safehouse or within the PRT HQ. Neither was appealing, either to dad, or to me, so here we were.
Dinah still hadn't said a lot, but I thought the haunted look had lessened a little. We'd had to move a small single in to my room and she slept on it, though I had woken late to find she'd squeezed in beside me sometime in the night. My bed was barely large enough for us both, but if it helped her, I wouldn't begrudge her. And it was kind of nice. Like having a little sister who had been scared come to you. Of course, Dinah's fears were a bit worse than the monster under the bed ...
"...Taylor?" my dad asked and I blinked, glancing at him and realising I'd been spacing out.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, then flushed as I saw everyone was staring at me.
"We're thinking we'll make a quick trip out now," he said. "The car's not so big, though."
"One of us will go with you," Lily said, glancing at Philippe and Shawna, who both nodded. "The other two will stay here and get used to the area."
"Sounds good to me," I agreed.
"Shawna, Philippe," she said. "You two are here for this trip. I'll go with them. Shouldn't be long. Just in and out."
* * *A quick trip proved to be anything but. Another feud had broken out between the ABB and the Empire Eighty-Eight somewhere close by and there were PRT squadrons working to clear everyone out of the mall as quickly as possible in case things got even further out of hand. I heard some whispering that Lung was actually out in addition to Oni Lee and that crazy tinker, Bakuda or something.Lily was keeping an eye out while Dinah stood near me, once again holding onto my hand. My dad all but radiated anger, however. It wasn't anything to do with what was happening nearby, though. No, this was for something much closer.Emma and her father had ended up in front of us somehow. The universe must hate me. Mr. Barnes had tried to draw Dad into conversation, but only received a glare and he eventually gave up, but Emma glanced at me several times, with a smirk appearing often. I was trying to ignore her, but I suspected she would try some sort of barb at some point. I watched the flow of people, noting the presence of some Wards members that were assisting the PRT squad."So, Taylor, how have you been?" Emma spoke at last, her voice pitched to be pleasant sounding as possible even as the look in her eyes told me what she really thought. "We've missed you at school, you know.""I'm sure," I said absently, debating whether to just mute her and be rude by ignoring her completely. I decided against it. She wasn't worth wasting my power on anymore. "I had more important things to do than deal with infantile pranks." Something ugly crossed her eyes at my barb."Mr. Hebert," she said sweetly, "had you-""You should shut your mouth," he said and Emma blinked, taken aback."Now what's this about?" Mr. Barnes interjected, frowning. "Danny, I know you're upset over something, but that's no call to-""Your daughter hasn't told you what she's been doing, has she?" Dad cut him off, then shook his head. "No, of course not. But Taylor's told me." He leveled a glare at Emma and it must have been bad enough that she took a step back. "But I've heard. All of it."Mr. Barnes' frown grew. "Look, I don't know what sort of fabrications your daughter-""Are you calling Taylor a liar?" Danny asked, his voice low."Not at all," he said smoothly. "But if there's some sort of issue stressing her out at school, that's no reason for her to imply Emma is involved.""The hospital," Danny growled, looking at Mr. Barnes now. "The issue where she was locked in that locker with all that filth, and the stay afterwards. Ask your daughter who was responsible for Taylor being in there. I'm sure she had a close and personal view of it. Isn't that right, Emma?""Now see here," Mr. Barnes said, reddening. "I'm sorry that happened to Taylor, but that sort of talk is way out of line, Danny. I won't have you slandering my daughter."I took a deep breath. "Your daughter and her friends have been tormenting me since I came back from summer camp, Mr. Barnes. Her, Madison and Sophia."Something flickered in Mr. Barnes' eyes at Sophia's name and he glanced to Emma before shaking his head. "I'm sorry if you've grown apart, but throwing any more of these accusations around and I will bring suit for slander against you. I've half a mind to do so anyway." He made a disgusted sound. "To imply that Emma would take part in anything like that ...""I'm sorry things haven't worked out for you, Taylor," Emma said, looking at me challengingly. "Maybe I'll see you at school next week."I started to reply then felt Dinah's hand tighten on mine. I glanced at her. She was looking up at Emma and it was definitely an unfriendly look. "Ninety eight point three percent chance that you are going to fall on your butt within the next five minutes."Emma blinked and then gave me a look. "And who is this?""Ninety nine percent chance that you will slap yourself," she said in rapid-fire response."How cute, she's protecting you," Emma said, a sneer forming, though she was unnerved somewhat by this. My dad and Emma's were arguing, their words now low hisses. I saw one of the Wards watching nearby, a figure in black with a mask shaped like a woman's face."Eighty-five percent chance that you-" Dinah said mechanically, falling silent as I crouched down beside her, placing my hands on her shoulders."Dinah, it's okay," I said, and her head turned to me. "She isn't worth bothering over. Just ignore her, all right? She's irrelevant, a no-" I cut off as I saw Emma move out of the corner of my eye. Something I had said must have infuriated her as she moved to shove me. My field caught her effort and she rebounded, tumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs. Mr. Barnes and my Dad both turned at her startled cry and I gave my Dad an apologetic look and a shrug.The Ward who had been observing approached now. Shadow Stalker, I think her name was. She moved to grip my arm, not attacking, so my field didn't reflect it, but it was a near thing."This is not the time and place for your arguments," she said. "Turn around."I blinked and almost snorted, incredulous. "Why?""This entire situation is tense and you tripped her," she looked to my dad. "If your daughter's normally violent like this, maybe you should think twice about bringing her out in public.""Now you see here," my Dad began but I just shook my head at him.Shadow Stalker reached for my other arm, intending to pull it back behind me, the one she was holding she tried to wrench when I locked it in place. I grimaced and debated whether to allow it. I suppose it could have looked like Emma had been tripped by me, but that didn't mean I had to allow this. I glanced over at Emma, who was beaming now, despite being on the ground still.No."Take your hands off me," I said quietly. "She tried to push me and fell on her own. I didn't do anything to her.""Didn't look like it to me," she countered. I was aware there were eyes on us, a lot of them. Lily had been silent, assessing. I didn't know if she had been told I was a parahuman or not but she was still keeping an eye out while apparently weighing the situation. Shadow Stalker made another attempt to wrench my arms behind my back and I felt something snap. She was just another bully and I didn't have to take this.An adjustment and she staggered back, pushed away by my field. Her grip released on my arms and I rubbed my wrists. She had become increasingly harsh with her hold when I wasn't allowing her to move my arms. There was wariness in her stance as she regarded me now and a tension that hadn't been there before. Her hand dropped to her side.Lily had apparently made a decision and she moved into the space between us, facing Shadow Stalker. "You need to look elsewhere. Emma there tried to shove my friend and you're making this more stressful than it needs to be.""I was watching when I saw the arguing, I know what I saw," Shadow Stalker countered. "You need to step aside.""No," Lily said. "I don't know how Wards operate here, but in New York they don't just single out one person without determining exactly what's happening."I felt a smile at Lily's intercession. She wasn't happy at all and tension fairly radiated from her body. I touched her shoulder. "Thank you, Lily. We're done, though. We should get back. Dinah's probably a bit worn out from all the walking."She looked torn, then nodded. "You're right. We've wasted enough time here." She gave Shadow Stalker a look, then turned her back on her. I saw her hand slip into her pocket and saw a glimpse of something dark concealed in her hand for an instant."Let's go, Dad," I said, taking Dinah's hand. She had stayed close to me even when Shadow Stalker had tried to cuff me or whatever she had intended.Shadow Stalker looked like she wanted to continue, but finally said nothing. As I turned to the left from the exit, I saw Shadow Stalker still standing there, speaking to Emma and Mr. Barnes. Dinah gave my hand a squeeze, drawing my attention, and I looked at her. She gave me a half-smile, the most animated I had seen her since her breakdown the day before."Are you okay?" I asked and she nodded once shyly. "Good. We'll go through for some ice cream on the way home, if that's fine, Dad?""I think we can spare a moment," he said. "There's a place nearby with a drive through that has some good cones. Do you have a preference, Lily?""Mint chocolate," she said absently, then glanced at me and then to Dinah, a grin appearing for a moment. "I don't know all of the context, but she was kind of a bitch."I grimaced. "She was my best friend, once. I still don't know why she changed. I don't think I care anymore either, to be honest.""And you," Lily smiled at Dinah. "I liked how you told her off. It was pretty funny."Dinah offered her a smile as well, then ducked her head. I ruffled the younger girl's hair with my free hand as we approached the car to head back to the house.* * *Thomas Calvert stared at a video feed on his handset in one timeline. He'd instructed his soldiers to move on the mall, intending to make a statement. The reality was it hoped to be a distraction while his men engaged Taylor Hebert. No bullets this time, however. Tinker weapons were employed, that he had gone to great expense to obtain.In both timelines, he was on-site, functioning as a consultant and supplementing PRT forces. There was apparently some sort of argument going on and one of Brockton Bay's Wards near the target when his soldiers made their move. Just as before, the situation went to hell quickly. The first assault sent the Ward, Shadow Stalker down in a twitching heap. The backwash of the energy weapon appeared to stagger Taylor and he felt a surge of elation. She wasn't invincible, then.Her recovery was quick, however and none of the subsequent attacks had any effect, slammed back at the soldiers with vicious force. Those not taken out in the counter went down quickly.He collapsed the timeline, focusing his attention on assisting with the clean up from the continuing conflict between the E88 and the ABB. There were weaknesses. He merely had to determine what they were before he committed himself again. Feeling pleased, he let a smile form. He would find out what they were, and then he would act. He had gambled, before, been over-eager. That was not a mistake he could afford again. He had opportunities aplenty though and this Taylor Hebert would not stand in the way of his plans for long. Fate was on his side, after all.--I am not sure how happy up with this. It took a bit to get started due to various distractions, but here you go. No 2.4 tonight, but hopefully this being long makes up for it. AwardReport1066chibipoe8/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.4 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)8/2/2014Add bookmark#1,4892.4
The living room was a cluttered mess. My dad had pulled out an old game from when he was in college, a role-playing game, to be specific and we had created characters and were sitting the coffee table playing. She still hadn't said much, but even Dinah had produced a character with my Dad's help. It was beginning to wind down, though and my Dad had a bit of a smirk on his face.
"I want to cast a spell," he said. Philippe glanced at him, frowned and then apparently figured out whatever my Dad was talking about.
"You can cast any of the first level ones," he replied, grinning
"I want to cast magic missile," my dad went on.
Lily, Shawna, and I exchanged looks and then Lily spoke hesitantly, clearly confused. "Why are you casting magic missile? There's nothing to attack here ..."
Philippe and my Dad broke up laughing, clearly amused by something the rest of us didn't understand.
Between gasps, Philippe choked out. "He's ... attacking... the darkness!"
We exchanged another look and I rolled my eyes. "Dad, you're weird."
"Same goes for you, Philippe," Shawna said, shaking her head at the boy. "Nerd."
"Sorry, sorry," my dad said, wiping at his eyes. "Anyway, it's late and I'm going to get to bed. Work in the morning and all that." He rose after straightening the papers in front of him. "Don't stay up too late, you lot." There were some murmured replies and then it was just the three Wards, Dinah, and myself.
"Two and a half hour shifts?" Lily asked the other two. "Philippe, you're up first, I'll take second, and Shawna gets last?"
"Works for me," Philippe said, stretching his arms over his head. "Go get some sleep, Shawna."
"Dibs on the bathroom," Lily said, her words coming out just ahead of Shawna, who scowled.
"Not cool," she muttered. "Ms. Perfect timing strikes again." Lily flashed her a grin and darted up the stairs, her bag in tow.
I gave Shawna a smile. "You can use my bathroom if you want, while she's in the hall."
"Oh, thanks," Shawna returned the smile and then went upstairs as well. Philippe had moved to glance outside through the windows, apparently taking his duties very seriously, even with how easy-going he seemed to be.
"Thank you," I said, a bit hesitantly. Philippe glanced my way with a questioning look and I went on. "For coming out here to help keep an eye on her."
"S'part of the job," he said, shrugging with an embarrassed grin. "And anyway, protecting people against things is why I signed up. This Coil creep is hijo de mil putas." I blinked and tried to parse the statement through my limited knowledge of spanish. Philippe gave me a smile and shrugged.
"Sorry," he went on. "That isn't something I should say in polite company. Doesn't make it less true, though."
"It's fine," I told him. "I only understood part of it anyway, aside from obviously being an insult." Beside me, Dinah yawned and I glanced to her. "It is late, though, so I think we'll head to bed."
"Have a good night," Philippe said with a nod. Dinah and I went upstairs. Lily was exiting the hall bath when we reached the top, idly flipping a slender, pointed piece of metal. Both ends were pointed, actually and as she drew closer, my field touched it.
What the hell
No, seriously, what the hell was she doing to it?
Lily caught me staring and blinked. "What is it? Something on my face?"
"What do you do to that?" I asked, looking at the needle or whatever it was. "It just ... I think I see how, but... just what does your power do?"
"You can see it?"
"Sort of," I shrugged, making a note to ask her for demonstrations at some point if possible. Whatever she was picking up with her field was weird. "I can make sense of some of it with mine, but the rest ... " I trailed off and glanced at her. "You figured it out?"
"It was implied in the briefing, though not specifics," Lily told me. "Kind of hard to miss when Emma went down without ever touching you. Telekinesis?"
I shrugged. "More like changing directions. There's a passive effect and she ran into it." Beside me, Dinah yawned again, squeezed my hand, then tugged free before slipping through the door into my room to get ready for bed.
"That other one was kind of a shrew too," Lily observed. "Shadow Walker?"
"Stalker, I think," I said. "I don't know what was up with that though. Hopefully it won't be a problem."
Lily nodded. "Sorry about not stepping in immediately. I wanted to keep an eye on things and there were a lot of people around."
"No apology needed," I replied. "I could have just tuned her out but she isn't worth it, really."
Stretching her arms above her head, Lily nodded again before yawning. "Oops, sorry. Anyway, I'll seen you in the morning."
"Good night, Lily," I said and slipped into my room. Shawna emerged from the bath and murmured her thanks before ducking out and closing the door behind her.
Dinah had climbed into her bed and was staring with eyes that seemed a tad too wide in the light of the lamp. "Everything okay?"
She nodded and then her expression shifted. A moment, and she opened her mouth. "Thank you. For saving me."
"You're welcome, Dinah," I said, giving her a smile. "Are you starting to feel better?"
"A bit," she answered. "Everything still feels funny though. It hurt so much when I was running, but I could see which way was best to go. The n-numbers were getting worse though... and then it was one hundred percent. I found you but mommy ... daddy ..." Her face crumpled and she buried it in her hands, sobbing. I moved immediately, so fast I didn't even process how I had, putting my arms around her. Dinah leaned into the embrace while I made soothing noises.
I wanted to tell her that it would be all right, but I knew better. It hurts less, but it never really gets better. I knew that from experience. It still hurt to think about mom. It was less raw now, but it still hurt. I didn't think it would hurt her less for quite a while.
"Dinah," I said, rubbing her back. She turned tear-streaked eyes to me and swallowed. "I promise you, that man will never lay a hand on you. Whatever I have to do, he'll never touch you, trust me."
She looked haunted still, but I thought it lessened as I said those words and she nodded, then sniffed.
"Now come on," I smiled. "Let's get you cleaned up and then we'll go to bed, okay?"
"'kay," she murmured, yawning before pushing the sheets aside and scrambling from her bed so we could do just that.
* * *He watched the video feeds as the soldiers swarmed into position, weapons trained on the group. The first shot went intentionally wide, splashing into the ground near her, but producing no visible effects. The second was aimed directly at Taylor Hebert. Like in his previous attempt, it rebounded and the situation promptly went to hell for his forces.Thomas Calvert collapsed the timeline, staring at his desk where he was busy with paperwork. It appeared to be some sort of adaptive defense. If she were exposed to it, even a slight amount, it could affect her, but only once?He mused on that. Further study would be required.-- AwardReport1027chibipoe8/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.5 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)9/2/2014Add bookmark#1,5252.5
"Ow."
That was all I had to say as I stared at the old box sitting in the middle of the basement floor. It was perforated with those metal needles that Lily had and just watching what they did with my field made my head hurt when I tried to grasp it. The math went off in directions I hadn't even considered and more than once I found myself spacing out trying to parse all of the calculations.
So far I had concluded that whatever she was doing when she was well outside anything I had a reference for and even when I made adjustments to the passive field, they didn't counter it. I wasn't even sure if I could adjust my field to counter for it. Not without a lot more practice. Years, potentially.
Lily had looked askance when I asked her to lob objects around me but after some cajoling, I was able to convince her. The look on her face as I rattled off an explanation for why we would both be fine had left her gaping. I don't think she had been able to follow my math.
The realisation that there were things my field couldn't account for was a bit disturbing, honestly. If her ability could, did that mean other things might as well?
Something to look into, I decided.
Lily glanced at me, bemused. "Ow?"
"Your... attack... just ow," I said, shaking my head. "Trying to calculate all the elements involved it is enough to make me want some aspirin."
"You really can tell what it does?" she blinked.
"Sort of," I answered, making a vague gesture. "You throw it and some part of it seems to go ... elsewhere. It's really weird and I lost track of the calculations a few times trying to make sense of what my power was telling me." I shook my head. "Mind if we do this again sometime?"
Lily shrugged. "I don't mind. It's actually fascinating. I figured out some pretty extensive uses for it, but I can't pretend that I know what it does to my darts or bolts. It's kind of refreshing to find someone else who is intent on figuring specifics out."
"Some of it is self-interest," I said with a rueful grin. "Your ability, whatever it is? My field can't counter it. Nothing I've run into so far has been able to get around it and even if I can't work out how yours does, I might be able to adapt it for other things."
She nodded as we went up the stairs, then flashed me a grin. "I'm not planning to start attacking you, so you at least don't have to worry about that."
"No," I agreed as we crossed into the house proper, "but who knows what I can account for just by studying your ability." In fact, I was still trying to make sense of it in the back of my head as we walked, simulating its effects and whether or not things I did would counter it.
It was just the four of us and Dinah right now, though I think there were probably PRT agents making discreet passes by the house on a schedule of some sort, but Dad was off at work and it left just us here.
Philippe looked up from his handheld gaming system, something from Nintendo, I think and waggled his eyebrows. "You two finally come out of the basement, huh? What were you doing in there anyway- hey!" He yelped as Shawna tossed a pillow at him.
"Don't be crude," she said primly, then looked sideways at us slyly. "I'd know if they were up to anything like that. I've got a watch on the area."
"Now who's being crude?" Philippe asked, rolling his eyes even as Lily shook her head and I felt my face warm at what they were implying. The three of them worked together in the New York Wards and their easy camaraderie showed in how they teased one another. It was infectious and made me wish I'd had friends like these through the time in high school. Maybe if I had, things would have been better.
"It isn't like that," I protested, then, after a drawn out moment of silence, hesitantly, I gave them all a sly look. "But I do have a thing for brunettes ..."
A pause and the three Wards chuckled. I did as well, after a moment. Then, feeling a bit bolder, I offered an idea.
"Okay, okay," I said, then looked at Lily. "Think if we all go that we'll be safe? There's a little restaurant not far from here we could go check out. They have some amazing burgers, I'm told."
Lily looked thoughtful. "Well, if it were all of us together ... " She trailed off. "Let me make a call and I'll see. I think the boss will agree as long as we're careful." She headed into the other room, pulling a phone from her pocket as she did so to check if we could go to Fugly Bob's.
--
Might add some more to this in a bit. Or do the FB trip as a separate installment. We'll see. AwardReport987chibipoe9/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.5b New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)9/2/2014Add bookmark#1,654After some thoughts, calling this 2.5b instead of just adding to previous post
2.5b
Fugly Bob's was a popular place for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which was that it was rumored to be a popular spot for various capes to hang out at out of costume. People would go solely to try and guess if their neighbor was one or not. They also made the most amazing burgers. We had arrived, thankfully, during a lull in the crowd though, so there wasn't a huge amount of people present. Philippe, Lily, and Shawna were surrounding me and Dinah without being too obvious that they were serving as guards. Conversation was flying back and forth so we seemed like nothing more than a group of friends who had a kid sister tag along.
I was honestly surprised at how at ease they seemed. I'd noticed that their camaraderie seemed pretty solid and for all that they were right around my age, they seemed quite at ease with their chosen task.
I wondered what things were like in the New York Wards program if these three were examples of what they produced. My impressions of the Brockton Bay Wards hadn't been good when I'd researched them, and the way Shadow Stalker had behaved made me even less impressed with them.
Lily, Philippe, and Shawna, though, were practiced at keeping an eye on the area while seeming like nothing more than some friends chatting amicably. I was impressed at the ease they interacted while scanning the area.
We were shown to a comfortable booth toward the back and we slid in, Lily to my left, Shawna and Philippe to Dinah's right, placing her between the four of us.
"We're covered on food," Philippe said absently. "Boss ferried over a card this morning along with a warning not to use it for anything not essential." He attempted what was supposed to be a scowl and deepened his tone as he spoke, presumably imitating Armsmaster.
"Meaning," Shawna glanced at him and grinned, "he told you not to be buying any stupid magazines."
"I would never," he pronounced piously, "buy any stupid magazines. I'm following the developments of automobile production."
"You like looking at the women lounging over the cars half naked," she snorted and as he made an offended sound, turned to look at me. The noise level and relative isolation of our both lent a decent amount of privacy to us. "So, if it isn't out of place for me to ask, what can you do, exactly?"
Was she asking ... ? I blinked. "Do?"
She looked exasperated and then lowered her voice. "You know, your powers? That was what you were doing downstairs in the basement right?"
"What?" Philippe said, sounding mock-annoyed. "You mean they weren't making out? All my illusions. Crushed."
I flushed and noticed Lily just roll her eyes at Philippe's statements. "It wasn't- I mean, I'm not... I don't... but that's okay if-"
"Taylor," Lily interrupted with a smile. "Ignore Philippe. His brain to mouth filter overflows sometimes, even if he means well." She looked to Shawna. "Yes, we were testing something with her powers. It involved me throwing things at her."
A low whistle emerged from Shawna and Philippe looked impressed. "You let her throw things at you? That's hardcore. Seriously. I've seen what her hits can do when she's on the practice range and she really cuts loose."
"There wasn't any danger," I protested. "You see, the application of coeffici-" I stopped as Lily touched my arm.
"It's fine, they're teasing," she said and then leveled a mock-glare at Philippe. "You do not want to sit through her trying to explain it in mathematical terms. I got lost after the first number." I flushed a bit as I remembered the rapid fire list of calculations I had thrown at her when we started testing how her power interacted with mine and she had asked a question.
The waitress came over and we placed our orders. Drinks followed shortly after and after a promise to give Shawna and Philippe a demonstration, we settled into small talk while waiting for our food.
"So, if I can ask," Philippe began, leaning forward a bit after we had gone through much of the meal, "how did you get your powers?"
Cramped. Can't move. Can't breathe. Need to get out. Need control. Need to get away!
I shook the thoughts from my head and blinked, noticing the others staring at me. "What? Ketchup on my face?"
"No," Lily said carefully. "But you spaced out. Is everything okay?"
I shrugged. "Yeah, it's old news now. I don't think it's something I should describe while we're eating, though."
"Good going, nerd," Shawna said, slapping the back of his head. "Think about how you got yours. Why would you ask someone that. Geez."
"Ow, ow!" he cried as she smacked him several more times. When she subsided, he looked at me. "Look, I'm sorry. Let's try a different topic. What do you do, exactly?"
"It's redirection, basically," I said, grateful for the change of subject. "Passive and active. That's really the most simplified way of describing it. Really, it's absolute control of vectors."
"Vectors?" Shawna blinked and I nodded, warming to the subject. I had tried explaining it to my dad but he'd just gained a spaced out look. These guys had powers, maybe they could follow.
"It's," I began, paused and plunged ahead even as Lily gained a long-suffering expression. She had heard some of this already. "Well ... I can enhance, redirect, or increase the momentum of any object in motion. Since the earth is turning and rotating around the sun, everything is moving. The effect can be initiated by physical contact, but also affect things that are touching what I'm touching, based on factors including distance and quantity of dissimilar materiel between the transfer. I control these effects with mathematical formula which calculate how to manipulate the materials as well as analyse ways to improve further calculations for greater effect. The ability to respond to personal physical harm is automatic and rebounds to the aggressor unless I specify otherwise."
I took a breath as I had pushed all of that out in one breath and found Shawna and Philippe staring at me.
Philippe spoke first. "So ... you move things?"
I sighed and nodded, lifting my burger. "Yes. I move things." I took a bite of my burger, shaking my head as I chewed.
"I can't say I understood any of that," Shawna admitted. "But it sounds cool."
I swallowed, cleared my throat before replying. "I haven't found- no, that's not true. I've found one thing that I can't affect. I guess you could just say I control vectors."
"Moving stuff sounds good," Philippe quipped. "It'll confuse anyone from getting a real understanding of what you can do."
"Or," Lily said, grinning at me and nudging me with her elbow, "you can just rattle off math at them like you did me and watch as they fall asleep trying to understand what you're saying."
"It wasn't that bad," I protested, exasperated, but I smiled nonetheless. The rest of the conversation turned away from discussion of powers to more mundane topics. Shawna and Lily managed to make Philippe look like he wanted to be anywhere but here by drawing me into a conversation about who we found attractive. Lily spaced out after a bit and I think she was eyeing someone in the restaurant, but I couldn't see who. Dinah had been mostly silent for the time we were here and I felt a twinge as I realised we had most ignored her with how quiet she had been
"Dinah, how is your food?" I asked as an opener.
"S'good," she said, then eyed a piece of lettuce with distaste. "Cold tomatoes are nasty. I like them better when they're hot."
"I agree," I told her. "They're not that great when cold."
Lily leaned forward a bit. "Dinah, did you want any ice cream or dessert?"
"Do they have apple pie?" she asked, perking up. "And vanilla ice cream?"
Philippe snagged the dessert menu and skimmed it. "They do have that, sestrica. You want?" Dinah nodded and we passed around the menu, making our choices. She participated in the conversation a bit more as we had dessert, glancing shyly around but there was some definite lessening of the mood that had surrounded her.
After that, we paid the bill and were heading out toward the door as another group entered. A young girl, maybe around Dinah's age, several boys, and three other girls. Two of them were familiar. Members of New Wave, I think. One was hanging off the arm of one of the boys, the other looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
And then I saw the third girl.
Sophia.
Her eyes met mine and I saw scorn there. It looked like she wanted to say or do something, but one of the others in her group said something. She looked away from me and grudgingly followed them, ours groups moving past one another.
Lily was looking at me when I released a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. "Everything all right?"
"Yeah," I said, and I was surprised to note that it was true. I hadn't felt anything at seeing her. "I'm good."
And we headed out of Fugly Bob's to go home.
* * *He watched the monitor. The soldier was taking aim from a position some distance away. Another squad was ready to move as soon as the attack was reported as successful.On the screen of someone covertly filming them, he saw one of the girls with Hebert stiffen and say something, her expression tense.The shot was fired. It went wildly off-course even as the group was moving. No good for long range shots, then. The hispanic boy grabbed Coil's future pet and started running. He was out of sight quickly. Some sort of Mover? Was the black girl a Thinker or some sort of clairvoyant or precognitive as well? Taylor Hebert moved as well, touching a street light with what appeared to be nothing more than a brush of her fingers. The post uprooted and tore through the air and the camera feed from his sniper went blank.Coil collapsed the timeline, grimacing. Long range was useless then. Even if they hadn't been moving, the shot was wildly off-target. Still. The girl had demonstrated some form of tactile telekinesis and her aim appeared deadly accurate. And two of her companions appeared to have abilities as well. The third likely did also, but he hadn't gleaned any information on her with this attempt. Next time, though.-- AwardReport1042chibipoe9/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.6 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)9/2/2014Add bookmark#1,712This was going to be an interlude, but we're going with it now.
2.6
Fifty two point seven percent chance she would be attacked while she slept.
Dinah flinched imperceptibly at the numbers. Another question was asked. Chance that attack will be successful if Taylor is alive?
Zero point zero zero three percent.
Every option she ran was like that. That man. He was out there. Somewhere. And he wanted her. For the numbers she saw. That she knew was a certainty. And every number she saw led to the same result without the girl sleeping in the bed nearby. Taylor was the deciding factor. If she was not present, he took her. The other Wards had an effect on the numbers, but none of those tilted things as heavily as Taylor did.
Chance that I will be attacked while I sleep?
Zero percent.
A frown appeared. Something had changed the numbers in the last few minutes. But what? She laid there trying to figure that out.
It was a long time before she fell asleep.
* * *Morning. She woke to the smell of pancakes, bacon and sausage. For a moment, she remembered other days, and knew if she ran downstairs, Mommy and Daddy would be there.Then she opened her eyes and the ceiling was not the one in her room and the question slipped out before she could stop herself. Chance I'll see my parents today?Zero percent.She hated Coil more than anything she had felt before. That stupid boy who put gum in her hair in third grade hadn't made her hate him this much. Neither had Angela in fifth grade when she said those horrible things about her uncle.She got up to go eat breakfast. Taylor was working in the kitchen, humming to herself while she cooked. The girl who had saved her was scooping out scrambled eggs onto plates. The other three who were here because of her uncle and Armsmaster came downstairs a short while later. They were nice, they tried to talk to her and didn't treat her like she didn't know anything.One of the people at the PRT building had done that when they were there. She hadn't liked him.That man.Chance that Taylor can kill Coil without dying herself?Seventy-six point eight.She scowled for a moment. That number was not enough. She picked at her eggs and then another question slipped out before she could stop herself from asking.Chance that Taylor can kill Coil, even if she dies?One hundred percent.Her breakfast went mostly untouched.* * *It was raining. They had taken her and gotten a dress. It was black and actually rather nice.She hated it.Taylor was with her. And the others. Her uncle. Her cousin. People she didn't know. They came up to her, offered words, sympathy.She hated them a little. It all felt fake, when they spoke. The man she had seen briefly after she met Taylor, Mr. Calvert, was there too. The look in his eyes when he came up and spoke to them made her want to throw up.That man.Chance that she'll be attacked in the next hour?Twenty-eight point four percent.Chance that Taylor will prevent it?Sixteen percent.Her hand tightened on Taylor's at that number and she thought furiously while she stared at the two flower-covered rectangles. Why had they put flowers on them? The rain was ruining them, it was coming down so hard.Chance that Taylor will be killed by a man with a gun up close in the next hour?Fifty-seven percent.She began looking around, anywhere but at the scene before her, of those rectangles.Chance that Taylor will be killed if I shove her when the man tries to shoot her?Zero percent.She nodded slightly and her eyes returned to the rectangles covered with flowers that were being hammered by the rain.She wished that there wasn't an umbrella over her head.The man from the church kept talking, saying a lot of things about her parents. He didn't know them. She didn't pay any mind while she ducked her head. People started to move away and the rectangles began to lower. Taylor stayed there with her. The other three were nearby, but it was just Taylor right here, beside her. In front of her parents.Chance that I'll be attacked in the next thirty minutes?Zero percent.A frown appeared. Just like before. What had changed?* * *Her cousin used to make her laugh. He had come by to visit at Taylor's home, to see how she was doing. She tried to smile, to pretend it was like before.She kind of hated him. He had his parents still. Then she hated herself for hating him.She hated that man most of all.Rory stayed for a bit longer, then ruffled her hair and hugged her before leaving.Chance that her cousin could kill Coil?Two point three percent chance.Chance that Taylor could kill Coil without dying herself if she learned more about her powers?One hundred percent.Dinah couldn't help herself. She smiled as she stared at the window, watching her cousin drive away.It was not a nice smile.She went upstairs to bed.* * *Dinah looked at the papers. It told her what the different types of abilities there were.Chance that Taylor's able to kill Coil and survive if she fights people with Breaker abilities beforehand?Sixty-two percent.She started down the list, asking her questions.That man would die like her parents had if she could do anything about it.-- AwardReport1194chibipoe9/2/2014NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks 2.7 New View contentchibipoeCatradora is life, Catradora is loveHonorary Staff (Mostly Harmless)9/2/2014Add bookmark#1,8232.7
Sunrise. I watched it from my window, enjoying the silence and the view.
Dinah was asleep in her bed, for once she had slept without interruption through the night. I hoped that meant she was doing better. The funeral had worn on her a great deal and since then, she had displayed an almost disturbing amount of focus on something. Studying powers, from what I saw. I would catch her asking herself questions a lot, her lips moving silently. Every moment she could spare was fixed on whatever this was.
Colin had set up a system for us to be able to study and not fall behind for the school year. He'd mentioned it was designed by a friend, but nothing more than that. There was a bit of a smile on his face when he mentioned his friend and I wondered if meant he or she was more than. I hoped so. Colin had been so helpful and of late, he seemed increasingly stressed with the continuing war between the Empire Eighty-Eight and the ABB. Lung had come out several times and clashed with Kaiser, it appeared. The tinker with the ABB had started a campaign of terror and the situation overall was tense.
It hadn't touched on us directly, but even Philippe, Lily and Shawna had looked at the reports on the television with pale faces. Things in Brockton Bay were deteriorating and we sat here, relatively safe. The three of them wanted to go out, to help. I could see it.
I wanted to tell them to go. They were heroes. That was what they did. I had mentioned it to Colin but he only gave me a smile and shook his head. Told me that they would help the most by staying here, doing what they came here for. There were others that could or would be called in if necessary. He looked frazzled as he said it though. Worn.
It made me want to do something. But I wasn't even sure what. I had stopped caring about most things since the locker, but the last week and a half, I'd found my apathy lessening. Worry over Dinah, enjoying hanging out with the three Wards. It was nice having them here. Like having friends. I thought of the last time I had truly called someone friend, though, and scowled.
This wouldn't be like that. They weren't like that. The locker wouldn't, couldn't happen again. No one could make me go into something I didn't want to.
I went downstairs, thinking I would make breakfast before everyone got up.
Lily was already in the kitchen, humming to herself as she flipped pancakes. She didn't even look, busy with something in a pot that she was also stirring. All the same, her timing was perfect and the pancakes landed exactly in the skillet's center.
"Morning," she said as she noticed me.
"Morning," I replied, looking into the refrigerator and grabbing the milk to pour myself some. "You didn't have to cook, you know. I'd have taken care of it."
She shrugged. "I see no reason why you or your dad should make food all the time while we laze about in the mornings. It'll do those two good to not just sleep in all the time. I was thinking of having us cycle between it, whoever has the last watch cooks that morning. That way everyone gets a chance."
I thought about it and then put the milk away. "If you're set on it, I guess that's all right."
"Any plans today?" Lily asked, whisking some eggs together in a bowl.
"Mm," I said, sitting down. "Studying, obviously. The amount of work Colin's got me doing for my studies is pretty intense. Some of the things in there, I know my school hadn't even touched on. Beyond that, I don't know. He mentioned something the other day about being interested in my powers. I think he wanted to see about setting something up to learn more about that. But with all that's been happening ..."
Lily nodded, her expression sober. "It's pretty scary to watch."
I bit my lip, then pushed ahead. "Does it bother you, to be here while the local Wards are dealing with that?"
"A bit," Lily admitted. "But being here to keep Dinah and you safe is important too. You?"
"Sometimes," I admitted, staring at the table. "Not for myself, but the thought that I might be able to change things when I'm lying in bed and can't sleep." I sighed. "After the ... locker ..., I just stopped caring. Nothing could touch me unless I allowed it. But that was just a lie I was telling myself. Nothing physical, sure, and if I wanted, I didn't have to hear it either. But I can't not see things. There's no way to bend away something I don't want to see." My hands tightened on the glass of milk slightly.
Lily's hand settled on my shoulder. "Would you like to talk about it?"
I blinked at her. Wha-. Oh. It. I swallowed. I'd put that off since Fugly Bob's. But now, it was still early on a Sunday morning and it was just me and Lily here. I nodded.
"Let me finish this," Lily said, turning back to the stove for a moment. Not even two minutes later and she moved the skillets from heat, then settled into the chair opposite me. I stared at my milk for a while before drawing in a breath and starting to talk.
* * *"I'd like to go to the park," Dinah announced. All four of us glanced at her, surprised. She still wasn't in the habit of talking much unless directly addressed."The park?" I asked. "Is there a particular one?""It's over here," she said, holding out a sheet of paper. It was a map that she had printed. I looked at the area she had marked, then passed it to Lily."It's a nice park," I said. "A bit close to some rougher parts of town, though."The three of them glanced at one another, sharing a conversation with just a look and Lily nodded slowly. "Boss gave me some leeway in making judgement. That area hasn't seen any trouble, so it's been judged low-risk. An hour or two shouldn't hurt."Dinah nodded. "Thank you."Lily, Philippe and Shawna went upstairs for some things, leaving me with Dinah."Is everything okay?" I asked. "I mean, the park request came out of the blue. Is there something about this park in particular?"She shook her head, looked hesitant for a moment, then nodded. "It's important. That's all I can say.""Will there be trouble?" I asked, feeling a hint of trepidation. Had she seen something?Dinah shook her head. "I can't say anything else. The numbers change. We need to go there, though. It's important." She bit her lip. "You can't say anything to the others. That changes the numbers too."I stared at her, liking this less and less now that she was talking to me. "Dinah ...""It's important!" she said in a rush, grabbing my hand. "Please."I stood for a moment, staring at her expression then I nodded. "Fine. I won't say anything."Dinah looked relieved and scurried up the stairs for something.Why did I have the feeling I'd just made a huge mistake?* * *Thomas Calvert watched as his men moved up. The two he had identified as parahumans were taken down quickly at range. The third girl was dropped with a sedative laced dart. Taylor herself went down to a close-range shot of the tinker weapon.He collapsed the timeline with a snarl when he saw his pet fall unmoving from the bleed-off of energy. She could not be near Taylor when the time came to take her. Planning was sound, however. Taylor would die to the weapon. Other methods would need to be explored now, other weapons tested. He nodded to himself.