A group of parahumans stood around the crouched figure of Shadow Stalker. Bitch - Rachel, was with four of her dogs. Maybe the only four that had survived the Endbringer. Of the parahumans present, one I didn't recognize. That put me on alert.Regent handed his scepter over to the black-clothed Skitter, the moon reflecting over her yellow lenses."…Things are different now," Skitter finished.She drove the scepter towards Shadow Stalker. Electricity was a known weakness of the Ward - she didn't dare enter her shadow state. Her body seized, teeth clattering. Finally she fell prone, barely awake.I carefully inspected the group of parahumans: Tattletale and Rachel were of very little danger to me. Grue could prove problematic if he ambushed me, but knowing he was there his power was merely distracting. Skitter would be the most dangerous if she decided to use lethal force. Unlikely.Regent and the unknown parahuman were as such the subject of my focus. In a battle I would need to dispose of them first.While I weighed my options, Grue and Skitter began to position themselves to lift up Shadow Stalker. I again looked towards Regent, also known as Hjack.It was merely a small note on his PRT file, but I did read about his past actions. That changed the outlook of this meeting, turning a rather simple game of cop and robbers into something I could not allow.Did they know what he intended to do with Shadow Stalker?Tattletale surely did.I began moving. Thumbing the trigger, the Monowire was ready to be used again. I did not need to pat down my jacket to feel the two guns hidden in my under-arm holster.Skitter suddenly let Shadow Stalker once again fall to the ground. She did not turn my way, but it was clear enough that I was noticed. Too many insects could escape my human senses, and it seemed that I had missed one.With two simple jumps I climbed down, the water on the flooded street splashed around my boots as I landed.While Skitter reached down for Shadow Stalker's crossbow, the other parahumans turned towards me. Terror painted Tattletale's face. Rachel grunted but did not let go of her dogs' collars. The unknown parahuman stepped back. Regent yawned, theatrically. Grue began gathering his darkness.Tattletale screamed and quickly stopped him."Grue STAND DOWN. Otherwise she'll kill your s- Imp and Regent!"Regent froze. Imp - the unknown parahuman, I guessed - hid behind Grue.The large man hesitated, while I felt bugs gather near my feet. I gently tapped my Shock-baton, sending a charge into the flooded ground. My boots insulated me, while the gathering swarm was burnt out.Just a hindrance to Skitter, who already was finding other bugs around us."Skitter as well, stop! She WILL murder someone," Tattletale screamed.Skitter still aimed the crossbow at my chest, but I could not see any other large swarm getting too close."Thank you," I honestly said. "What you're about to do is beyond inhumane. I am sorry, I can't allow it to happen."Looking down at Shadow Stalker… Sophia, she was huffing, in pain. She was still aware of her surroundings, but could not speak or react in any way."What do you even know about humans, you weird fucking monster?"Tattletale had a certain way with words."Your parahuman ability is quite incredible, I must say. I did not give anything up, yet you've understood so much. I hope it can allow us to speak without violence."Rachel was struggling to keep her dogs at bay. They barked loudly, ready to pounce.But it was Skitter that exuded the most bloodlust. Not physically, no, her body was still. It was the bugs. They were reacting to her emotions, swirling around us, ready to attack me.She barely held the dark thoughts back.I suppose that her reaction made sense, however…"I am sorry," I looked sincerely beyond her yellow lenses. "I am not her, but I am sorry in any case. If it is any consolation, she suffered as she died."There was no need to spell out who I was talking about.The bugs kept swirling."What do you want?" Skitter asked. "She tried to kill me. She is no hero. She does not deserve to be saved."'Nobody had saved me', she probably wanted to say, the teen clearly holding back. There was a lot of hurt there, years of trauma and abuse now channeled into the parasite that dwelled in her brain.I took a step forward."That cannot justify what you wish to do. You've been wronged. She… Sophia deserves punishment. But not the one you want to provide," I looked to Regent.My mind went back to my world. To the Dollchips that could remove a person's ability to control their body. To the corporations that saw bodily autonomy as another optional right.Sophia was a monster. A murderer. A terrible person.She was also partially controlled by an otherworldly alien. She was a child, subject to the conflict parasites that likely controlled every parahuman.Only the threat of annihilation stopped the group in front of me - the Undersiders - from attacking.Skitter did not hesitate to clutch the trigger of the cross bow.How strange, this did not fit the profile I had of her, both built within Andrea's memories and what I found on PRT file. Skitter was reckless and dangerous, but not so aggressive.Something else was at play here. Something that was playing on the heroic instincts she had somewhere deep in her heart."Are you really going to fucking murder people over her… over Shadow Stalker?" Skitter growled from gritted teeth."Maybe. I now believe that there is something I either do not know or misunderstood about your actions."To the side, Imp began sneaking away. She suddenly stopped when I crossed eyes with her. Strange, what was her power?Tattletale was clearly aware of Skitter's intention, whatever they were.Furthermore, I confirmed that each of them were aware of what Regent would do to Shadow Stalker.How despicable. I gripped my Monowire tightly. A flick of the wrist would be enough to put an end to this situation.Tattletale froze.I let go of the wire.They were still children.I decided to hear them out."Use one of the darts. Put Shadow Stalker to sleep, then let us talk."
■
Without electricity, most of the city was utterly dark.The Undersiders had found an abandoned house, using flashlights, dogs and bugs to make sure the area was clear. It didn't take much time for them to restrain Shadow Stalker with electrified wires. She would wake up soon - if I had estimated correctly the amount of sedative inside the dart.This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.There was tension in the group of parahuman. One obvious source was me, especially the former identity of this body.Skitter - Taylor did believe that Andrea really was dead. Tattletale had been more than persuasive. Still, this was the face of an abuser, not someone easy to forgive.Rachel was also quite angry. She didn't even pretend to hide it, almost growling every time she crossed gazes with Taylor. Oddly, my presence seemed to relax her, but only a little.Imp threw herself on the couch, while Grue and Regent made sure Shadow Stalker was fully restrained on the chair.Skitter sat on the couch as well, while Tattletale stood behind."You are fully aware of what you're doing. Of what Regent would have done to Shadow Stalker," I began."Yes." Skitter did not look ashamed while answering… Except that the swarm began acting oddly."And you believe there is a good reason to do it anyway.""...yes."Everyone except Tattletale was confused at her answer."Wait wait, what do you mean?" Regent interjected."She wants to ask a favour from someone. And she needs leverage, or well, needs to show that she is worth it." Tattletale answered for Skitter.The swarm, again, began moving more erratically."Stop."The room quieted down."Do not omit information. I will find out anyway, so you either convince me, here and now, that you are human…""Or?" Grue asked, shadows flickering at the edge of his 'mask'.I looked at Tattletale.It would take 13 seconds to inflict crippling wounds on all of them. I would pull out my gun, and Regent would wrongly assume that it was my most lethal tool, making me drop it.Meanwhile my Monowire would slit their achilles tendons. Maybe Skitter could ignore the initial attack, thanks to her spider-silk costume, but she was close enough that I could dispose of her before bugs became a problem.Tattletale paled and took a step back."Holy fuck…" she whispered. Her power made threats rather easy.She did not elaborate, but Grue got the message.Skitter continued:"Okay. Okay. I want to make up for a shit thing I did. Because of me, a child was kidnapped. I want to free her."A moment passed. My mind spinning into action, going through newspapers and reports from the PRT."Dinah Alcott." Only she matched the details. A child kidnapped at the same time as the Undersiders attacked a bank."...yes. I'm not sure I can tell you much more without putting her and us in danger."The first step of the plan is to use Shadow Stalker to infiltrate the PTR building. We aim to get all of the data we can find there. We don't know why."I took another moment to think, though to their eyes I simply kept staring, silent. Weighing the pros and cons, I found myself remembering moments that I did not experience.Memories of a now distant past rose from the depth of Andrea's psyche. Of seeing photos of Taylor barely alive as she was pulled out of that locker."I will help you."Regent whistled at that."We've got the murder-lady on our side? Delala, surely you will be able to murder your way through the PRT without consequences!""Regent. Shut up." Grue reprimanded him. It seemed they had the impression that I was easily irritable. I would not disabuse them of that notion."I can fully act without using lethal force. Furthermore, I am close enough to a Tinker. I can create rather complex machinery, though as of now I lack materials."Aiding your assault on the PRT helps me two-fold: I can make sure Sophia avoids the terrible fate you have in mind for her, and I also get access to some resources." Which, if my hypothesis was correct, included plenty of tinkertech.Everyone except Tattletale and Rachel winced as I said Shadow Stalker name. I had done so on purpose.It would do them good to remember that I cared little for their 'cape' game.Skitter looked towards Tattletale, waiting for her second opinion.Tattletale herself realized something."Wait… The Chosen that were meant to attack the convoy… It was you!"She groaned loudly."Okay! Fuck! Sure! You're a million times more useful than Edgy Stalker here, and you're much less likely to bring the Protectorate down on our heads…"Skitter visibly relaxed at that.Deep down she was so very glad that they could avoid controlling a person, even if Sophia was among the worst of the worst.I walked over and picked up some of Shadow Stalker's tranquilizing darts. Seven in total remained."Good. And thank you. Now let's get to plan. I will need to pass by my base to pick up some things, and I need to know more."Starting off, which parahuman are likely to be part of the defense?"
■
Heavy metal detectors were at the entrance, not too far from the front desk. It would have been little trouble to make something to make me invisible to the sensors.I didn't care to use stealth.An alarm rang out as I stepped through, hood down. Not a full facility alarm - those were reserved for parahuman attacks - which this wasn't as of yet. One of the PRT officers walked towards me, foam sprayer pointed in my direction. Another did not have the same mercy, and instead pointed a normal gun."Freeze! Hands up!"Glancing at the ceiling, I saw as all the camera suddenly became covered in bugs, except the ones that were directly on me. I also saw Imp sneak by, somehow invisible to everyone but me. She walked by one of the Wards - Clockblocker I believe - that had begun to approach following the commotion.She winked my way as she moved beyond the front desk, towards the Ward area."I said hands up!"Another warning. I checked everything I could in the room, making sure to memorize distances.I thumbed the phone in my jacket pocket.A signal was sent out from the phone, which I also took out of the pocket.Clockblocker looked distracted for a moment, clearly listening to something. Then he jumped forward, attempting to reach me.Behind him, a steel-clad figure appeared from a door and also dashed towards me, anger and worry equally evident on his face.After all, I had just sent a text from Shadow Stalker's phone.Monowire extended out of my armguards, both of them, having just finished building the one on my right arm.I burst into action.