Adriana once again fell asleep, clutching her legs under the sheets.She cried in her sleep.We left her to rest while we went back to the living room, reflecting on what she had told us.Heinrich sat on the couch once again, hands crossed in prayer. He mumbled an 'Ave Maria' under his breath, while shaking in anger and sadness.Taylor stood with her arms crossed, tightly squeezing her own arm.I showed no emotion, but I could hear a sort of tinnitus in my ear. While Adriana told us her story, I had looked up anything I could find regarding her. The sisters had been totally absent from social media, but her parents appeared in a couple photos from some distant relative. Tracing those photos I eventually found one where Adriana was present in the background, smiling.In my mind's eye her dehydrated, broken face overlapped with that smiling girl.The tinnitus became louder.Heinrich eventually broke this quiet moment. Desperation dripping from his voice."This is a Simurgh plot…" He muttered, voice teetering on exhaustion."No." I answered back, maybe too strongly. "While the Simurgh may have moved some pieces along, we are not within her plans.""Maybe that's what she wants-""It's useless to think of it that way," Taylor sighed. "We try our best in any case. If it's a Simurgh plot or not, people are suffering. And they need our help.""It's not a Simurgh plot." I insisted, emotions bleeding into my voice.Both Taylor and Heinrich glanced at me, confused. The latter asked:"How can you be sure?""The sisters triggered before the Simurgh first appeared, and Beatrice…" Using her 'name' felt wrong, "Tisiphone, that is the codename we should use. Tisiphone is immune to thinker pre and postcogs, and while this doesn't mean she's also immune to the Simurgh, it is a point against it."Furthermore, I was certain that the Simurgh simply could not have accounted for me in her plans. Maybe now she could prepare, if she could even use her precognition when it came to me. But Adriana had only interacted with the Simurgh during the attack on London in 2003, far before I came into the picture.I suspected that the computing power behind the Simurgh eclipsed the already massive power of the Shards. But she wasn't omnipotent. There was a reason why she only messed with Dragon rather than outright killing her.They were right in their suspicion, there was something still hidden. An important piece that escaped me. The connecting thread to the Blasphemies."Tisiphone… Keeping on theme, I see." Heinrich sighed again, before putting a hand over his face and taking a deep breath. When he exhaled, he turned into bronze once again. "Right. I am sorry. Adriana's tale… Resonated with me. I am ashamed that I lost my composure in front of you, Taylor.""What you're implying is rude, Heinrich.""I don't think it is. But again I apologize, I didn't mean it to be that way, it's just that... Your ability to keep calm in this situation speaks to pain. Too much pain for someone your age. That doesn't mean I don't trust your judgement. In fact, I suspect that yours is better than mine."Taylor's face made an expression that was between a frown and confusion. Heinrich didn't comment on it, instead moving to another topic:"Adriana gave us a lot of information. We're still far behind, but we're finally seeing the back of our enemy. Our enemies.""Starting from Tisiphone's and Malacoda's powers. Each should have a variation of the main three powers that Adriana has. Telekinesis control of that black metal, some level of Brute enhancement, and a Master power.""Mh?" Julius glanced at Weaver as she spoke. "It doesn't look like Adriana has a Master power, what are you trying to imply?""I think… I do think that Adriana has a Master power. Except it only works on herself. She self-hypnotizes, or something like that.""I agree with Weaver," I rejoined the conversation, "she is still able to coherently speak and think after years of total sensory deprivation. I don't think she lied when she told us that the Simurgh couldn't affect her."But that isn't it," I continued, "the three also share a Trump power. Something that blocks Thinkers. Maybe it is an inherent property of the metal, it would explain why Tisiphone kept such a large reserve of metal underneath the Vatican. To blind her enemies."But why would the metal have that property? In truth, it was more like a crystal than metal. A Shard interaction? An error in their Network?"So Malacoda must have a Master power too…" Julius sighed. "And I think I know what it is.""I have a guess too." Weaver said. Julius motioned for her to go ahead and explain first. "Adriana can control her own mind. Tisiphone can control non-parahuman individuals, more specifically people that can't trigger. If their powers complement each other… Then Malacoda can only control parahumans.""Yes. That is what I also think," Julius nodded, then continued, "it would explain why so many of my comrades became cold and distant from me. And why the Blackbranch never had a scandal in its almost seven years of active operation.""Adriana mentioned feeling a pricking sensation behind her neck when she met with her sisters. Malacoda likely takes control of people in the same way Tisiphone does, by invading the person like a parasite." I explained."But Malacoda's range is much shorter? It doesn't explain how she could control Julius' colleagues."That was also true, but I already had the reason in mind. However, Julius spoke first:"I've read a bit about your file, Weaver. Do your bugs stop following your orders totally when you go to sleep or they exit your range?""No, they do not..." She nodded, deep in thought. Weaver's bugs kept following the last orders she gave them if she fell unconscious."This is our edge." I decided. "We can't win by attacking Tisiphone directly - she'd expect that, and from what I've seen she keeps the Blasphemies close, at least one with her anytime a threat is nearby.""So we strike at Malacoda. At the Blackbranch. Get her out of the picture. The other parahumans will likely still be hostile, but without Malacoda's direct control they'll be uncoordinated, easier to take care of." Weaver quickly picked up on my plan.Julius looked at her. "Blackbranch has institutional protection. Deals with the PRT, the Italian government, and a German investing firm. Striking at them-""Would allow Tisiphone to ask for help." Weaver's voice was flat. "We'd risk having to face innocent heroes, or - worse - handing them right to Malacoda and Tisiphone to mind fuck.""You understand my hesitation then." Julius crossed his arms."Didn't you just say that you trusted my judgement?" Weaver shot back.Julius raised an eyebrow at that comment, then sighed. "Yes... And in truth, you're right, again. Going for Malacoda is the best strategy.""I agree. Blackbranch's HQ is a public building, but they have a Tinker among their numbers. Attacking Malacoda in her base could prove difficult, but we could have no other options. Weaver, can you try and track her down?"Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.Weaver stood, grabbed a jacket and put it over her costume. "It's best if I go alone. Unmasked, they can't recognize me."I nodded. "Keep in constant contact. Don't hesitate to use Doormaker if you get cornered. If you get controlled by Malacoda, we lose.""I'll stay clear of her range." She straightened her jacket and moved to leave, closing the door as she left.I watched her go.Julius glanced at me as I did."You feel guilty about recruiting her. And what's this Doormaker?""I do feel guilty. She's a child, as you said. Which should inform you of how dire our situation is." I turned my head towards him, looking straight into his eyes. "Doormaker is a parahuman teleporter. I told you about Cauldron, about them giving powers. The story does not end there" I sighed, then continued to explain:"The world will end within the decade."I told him everything, only leaving out the details that I had not shared with either Cauldron or Taylor.The tinnitus faded sometime during the conversation.
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I found Adriana awake an hour later, sitting upon a chair at the foot of the window. Overlooking Rome. She did not look at the city with longing - but with sadness. Even at a glance she recognized how much it had changed in the years she'd been missing. The saline drip was by her side.I knocked lightly on the door to announce my presence.Adriana turned around, looking significantly healthier: a few hours out of that black metal prison and already she looked like herself once again. Her power had preserved her for years, and now it was allowing her to recover extremely quickly.Strangely, the edges of her hair did not turn black once again, instead remaining the sickly gray that they'd turned to while she was imprisoned. Her power, expressing the mental trauma she still held?"[May I?]" I asked, in Italian.She nodded, watching me with tired eyes.I walked in and sat at the edge of the bed, keeping some distance in between us. I didn't want to make her feel boxed in."[Your Italian is flawless,]" she observed. Adriana was still... surprised by her own voice. Unused to it. "[a consequence of your power?]""[Yes.]" I briefly answered. It would not do her good to try and convince her that I was no parahuman. Besides, I noticed that her question was more out of politeness than genuine curiosity.What followed was her true question."[How many…]" She took a deep breath, "[how many years?]""[Six years. It's 2011. July.]"Adriana closed her eyes, processing the information. Six years lost to a betrayal. From her own sisters."[Is there another?]" She asked."[Another?]" I asked back, not understanding her question."[Another… What's the word? Like the Simurgh. Behemoth. Leviathan.]"Another Endbringer."[No. It's only those three.]" I did not mention Scion. Now was not the time."[Good. Good. At least the world isn't more fucked than it already was.]" She chuckled at her own comment, trying to bring some levity to the conversation.I couldn't find it in me to chuckle back."[Chiara. Is she still alive?]" She did not ask about Beatrice. Adriana knew the middle sister was still alive and out there, otherwise her prison wouldn't have shifted and changed in the years as water was thrown down to keep her alive."[Chiara is still alive. And acting as Malacoda still.]"Another moment of silence. She glanced back towards Rome, her expression hidden from my sight."[She wasn't always like this,]" Adriana said finally. "[Chiara. She was… It took her the longest, after our trigger. She didn't want to be a parahuman. Tried to ignore it, the powers. She was frightened of herself. Of us. Beatrice wasn't any better initially, desperate and unwilling to accept the truth. Though she was the fastest of us to adapt.]" A pause. "[At that time I was the only one keeping us together. I now wonder if Beatrice was merely faking it.]"I said nothing."[Why are you here?]" She asked, changing the topic."[The Three Blasphemies. They-]""[No,]" she interrupted me. "[Why are you here, in this room? Do you want to ask me something?]"I shook my head. "[I wanted to check on you, I heard you woke up once again.]" Julius had initially wanted to come, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He still wasn't ready to face Adriana. She had spent years trapped right beneath his feet, and he had not done anything to rescue her. He was ashamed to face her.She turned back to me. Her eyes were red - because of the tears. But she wasn't crying anymore."[I want in. To help.]""[I'm not sure that-]""[You're working against the Blasphemies. Against my sisters. I doubt you can pick and choose who helps you. And I want in. I want to stop my sisters. To ask them why they did what they did.]"I stood, and started to leave."[Get some more sleep,]" I said. "[We'll talk in the morning.]"She didn't answer. But as I reached the door she spoke again, quietly:"[You look at me the same way you look at that girl by your side. Pity.]"I paused."[And you allow her to help you all the same.]"'The world ends whether you let me join you or not.'"[Alright.]" I resolved myself. "[Sleep. I'll catch you up after you get some more rest.]"
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Weaver came back the following morning, we all met up in the living room of the safehouse. On the table was a map of the Blackbranch headquarters and surrounding areas.Before we could begin talking, Adriana stepped out of her room clad in combat gear.She wore a black leather jacket with armoured plates underneath the sleeves, flared dark pants and no shoes. Her feet made a metallic sound as she walked. The ends of her long dark hair were still a sickly gray, likely never to recover.Adriana had decided against wearing a mask, going with her face exposed. She wanted her sisters to recognize her as they fought, wanted them to see her expressions. For the same reason, she had opted to forgo a 'cape' name. She would be Adriana for this operation.Julius nodded towards her, also clad in his new costume. Mostly redundant earpieces and communication devices if the one I had embedded into his ear was destroyed.Weaver wore her usual 'Skitter' costume, though with multiple upgrades. The yellow lenses 'shifted' with her vision, giving her access to an interface connected to the other tech underneath the spider silk. Hidden in her costume were also more weapons that I'd given her.I wore an elegant white attire - a suit and dress pants - not unlike the one I had worn when Siberian had ambushed me back in Brockton Bay. Elegant and eye-catching, plus this time the clothes were fire-resistant and connected to my implants. I wouldn't need stealth for what was to come.Looking at the other three members of my team, I tapped a section of the map, ready to explain."Today, we bring down the Blasphemies."